Measles cases surge by 20% globally, over 10 million people infected in 2023

Worldwide, there were an estimated 10.3 million measles cases in 2023, according to a newly released report from the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

About 107,500 people died from measles worldwide in 2023 and children under 5 were mostly affected, new data shows.

Measles is one of the world’s most contagious infectious diseases caused by a virus. With two doses of the measles vaccine, it is preventable; yet more than 22 million children missed their first dose of measles vaccine in 2023.

Globally, an estimated 83% of children received their first dose of measles vaccine in 2023, while only 74% received the recommended second dose.

“Measles vaccine has saved more lives than any other vaccine in the past 50 years,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.  

“To save even more lives and stop this deadly virus from harming the most vulnerable, we must invest in immunization for every person, no matter where they live.”

“The measles vaccine is our best protection against the virus, and we must continue to invest in efforts to increase access.” 

All regions were affected except the Americas, and nearly half of all large or disruptive outbreaks occurred in the African region.

Measles is a highly contagious and serious airborne disease which have killed 107,500 people and, children at age 5 died more due to measles in 2023.

By the end of last year, 82 countries had achieved or maintained measles elimination.

Just this week, Brazil was reverified as having eliminated measles, making the WHO Americas Region once again free of endemic measles.

The agencies have called for urgent and targeted efforts by countries and partners, particularly in the African and Eastern Mediterranean regions, and in fragile, conflict-affected, and vulnerable settings, to vaccinate all children fully with two doses of measles vaccine.

“This requires achieving and maintaining high-performing routine immunization programmes and delivering high-quality, high-coverage campaigns, ” they said.