Measles cases rise globally, with vaccinations delayed for about 30 million children

Dr. Kate O’Brien, Director of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals at the World Health Organization, said: “The measles virus is still one of the most contagious respiratory viruses. One person can infect up to 18 others. Many think measles is not dangerous, but it is, and it can be fatal. One in five infected children ends up in hospital.”

Last year, about 11 million people around the world were infected – almost 800,000 more than before the pandemic. Most deaths occurred among children under five years of age, about 80% of them in Africa and the eastern Mediterranean.

Dr. O’Brien stressed that “No child should suffer the consequences of measles. Two doses of the vaccine provide 95% protection. The tragedy is that children are not protected because the system is not reaching them.”

Incidence has tripled since 2021

Measles outbreaks continue to rise sharply. In 2024, 59 countries experienced major or devastating outbreaks – nearly three times as many as in 2021 – and a quarter of them had previously eliminated measles.

Only 84% of children globally received their first dose of measles vaccine last year, but only 76% received the crucial second dose – leaving up to 30 million children without adequate protection.

Three-quarters of them were in Africa and the eastern Mediterranean, many of them in conflict-affected or highly mobile communities.

Diana Chang-Blank, Head of the WHO Core Program on Immunization, said: “Measles knows no borders. A country will only be safe if every child is fully immunized, wherever they are.”

Why are cases increasing?

According to the World Health Organization, there are three factors contributing to the rise in measles cases:

🔹Regression in times of pandemic, as health workers were diverted to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic,

The large numbers of children who have not received a vaccine dose are now concentrated in fragile and conflict-affected environments.

🔹Weak routine vaccination systems, even in strong health systems.

Misinformation about vaccines and limited access to them

Dr. O’Brien also addressed misinformation around vaccines, noting that false claims – especially online – undermine trust, but noted that access gaps, not hesitancy, remain the biggest barrier to stopping measles.

She said: “The biggest barrier is access, not frequency. Parents everywhere want what is best for their children. What they need is reliable information and a health system that can reach them.”

However, she called on political, community and religious leaders to “share accurate, evidence-based information,” noting that trust is “the beginning, middle and end of successful vaccination programs.”

An opportunity to correct course

More than 11 million children have already been vaccinated through the global “Big Redress” campaign, which runs until 2025. But the WHO has noted that countries need stronger surveillance, a faster response to disease outbreaks, and renewed political commitment to meet the goals of the 2030 immunization agenda.