Why have measles cases increased by 20% worldwide?

Measles cases are increasing worldwide.

According to a study, the number of people infected with the world’s most contagious disease last year increased by 20 percent compared to 2022, reaching approximately 10 million people.

The decline in the vaccination rate is the main reason for the increase in disease cases.

The global target to eliminate measles as an endemic threat by 2030 is “under threat”, the study warned.

Let’s take a closer look.

Increase in measles cases

There were an estimated 10.3 million cases of measles worldwide in 2023, according to a joint publication by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Nearly 107,500 people, including young children, have died in “unacceptable” deaths from a disease that can be prevented through vaccination, health agencies said.

There was also a 60 percent increase in the number of major measles outbreaks last year.

About 57 countries have reported a major or devastating outbreak, and nearly half of them are in Africa, the study says. The total number of outbreaks is well above the 36 in 2022.

The report stated that, in addition to the African region, a significant increase in cases was also reported in the Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, Southeast Asia and Western Pacific regions.

Especially in 2023, there was an 8 percent decrease in measles-related deaths compared to the previous year. This is because epidemics occur in parts of the world where children have better access to health and nutrition.

Also read:
Why are the US and UK losing their measles-free status?

Decline in vaccination

Global vaccination rates are falling, contributing to a rise in measles infections.

Although fatal, the infection can be prevented with two doses of the highly effective measles vaccine. Two doses are 97 percent effective against measles, while a single dose is 93 percent effective.

In the last 50 years, the disease has been completely eliminated in 82 countries.

But the world has fallen short due to a lack of vaccines and misinformation.

“Every country in the world now has access. measles vaccine, so there is no reason why any child should get the disease and no child should die from it measles”, Natasha Crowcroft, WHO, senior technical advisor Measles and Rubella told reporters.

Vaccine hesitancy has been on the rise since the COVID-19 pandemic, with people losing confidence in the importance of routine childhood vaccinations against diseases such as: measles and polio.

Because measles is highly contagious, 95 percent of the population needs to be fully vaccinated to provide some protection to those who cannot be vaccinated, especially young children.

According to health organizations, only 74 percent of children worldwide will receive the required second dose of measles vaccine in 2023, while 83 percent of children will receive their first dose. Approximately 22 million children have not been vaccinated at all.

For four consecutive years, the United States’ measles vaccine coverage has fallen well short of the federal target due to declines in kindergarten vaccination rates.

In October, CDC data showed that the measles vaccination rate for kindergarten students had fallen to 92.7 percent for the 2023-24 school year. As of November 7, the CDC reported 16 outbreaks and 266 cases of measles in the US in 2024 alone.

In 2021, India had the highest number of “child zero doses” globally; 2.7 million children were missing essential vaccinations due to Covid-19 lockdowns that disrupted vaccination programmes.

While India’s global ranking has improved since then, it still remains the country with the second highest number of unvaccinated children after Nigeria, with 2.1 million zero-dose children recorded in the same year. than someone else
WHO report was previously publishedIn 2023, 1.6 million children in India did not receive a single dose of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP) vaccine or measles-containing vaccine (MCV).

“The measles vaccine has saved more lives than any other vaccine in the last 50 years. To save more lives and stop this deadly virus from harming the most vulnerable, we must invest in immunizing everyone, wherever they live,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

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

Measles and its symptoms

Measles is caused by an airborne virus that mostly affects children under five, but can be prevented with two doses of vaccine. measles shot.

Children with weakened immune systems due to malnutrition or other underlying diseases appear to be more prone to death from measles, according to many studies.

According to the CDC, three out of every 1,000 children who contract measles may die from respiratory and neurological problems.

Besides typical symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, watery eyes, and a red spot rash, measles can cause long-term health problems, especially in young children and infants.

Additionally, the infection can cause pneumonia, brain damage, and blindness. The CDC estimates that one in 20 children who get measles will develop pneumonia.

With input from agencies