By Mariam Sunny
(Reuters) -Global measles cases fell 71% to 11 million from the year 2000 to 2024, driven by improved vaccination coverage, the World Health Organization said in a report on Friday.
Vaccination has prevented nearly 59 million deaths globally during this period, according to the report.
Deaths dropped even more sharply by 88% to 95,000 in 2024, among the lowest annual tolls since 2000.
However, estimated cases in 2024 rose 8%, while deaths dropped 11%, compared with 2019 pre-pandemic levels, reflecting a shift in disease burden from low-income to middle-income countries, which have lower fatality ratios, the report said.
Measles is often the first disease to see a resurgence when vaccination coverage drops, the agency said, adding that growing measles outbreaks expose weaknesses in immunization programmes and health systems.
Due to its high transmissibility, "even small drops in vaccine coverage can trigger outbreaks, like a fire alarm going off when smoke is detected," said Kate O'Brien, director of the Department of Immunization at WHO.
(Reporting by Mariam Sunny in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore)
LATEST POSTS
- 1
The Longest Underwater Tunnel Connecting Germany and Denmark - 2Beyond the habitable zone: Exoplanet atmospheres are the next clue to finding life on planets orbiting distant stars
- 3Drones, physics and rats: Studies show how the people of Rapa Nui made and moved the giant statues – and what caused the island’s deforestation
- 4Russian military plane crashes in annexed Crimea, killing 29 people on board
- 5Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin launches landmark Mars mission in New Glenn rocket’s first big test
- Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro seeks house arrest for prison time citing health issues
- ‘This year nearly broke me as a scientist’ – US researchers reflect on how 2025’s science cuts have changed their lives
- From a new flagship space telescope to lunar exploration, global cooperation – and competition – will make 2026 an exciting year for space
- Why do people get headaches and migraines? A child neurologist explains the science of head pain and how to treat it
- Why do people have baby teeth and adult teeth?
- Scientists dove hundreds of feet into the ocean and found creatures no human has ever seen. Our trash beat us there
- Discovery off Israel’s coast reveals earliest known 2,600-year-old shipment of raw iron
- Brazil Passes Law to Use Seized Bitcoin, Crypto to Fund Public Security Measures
- The Craft of Do-It-Yourself Home Stylistic layout: Change Your Space
