Measles returns to places where it was eradicated. The World Health Organization has warned that in 2024, 59 countries will record major or devastating outbreaks: this is one more than in 2023, when it reached 58, and three times more than in 2021. This is worrying, the organization warned, That is, 25% of these states have been declared free of this disease so far. Kate O’Brien, Director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals at the World Health Organization, lamented that “alarm sirens are sounding in most parts of the world.”
“Every case, every hospitalization, every community struggling against an outbreak is a reminder of what happens when vaccination rolls back and when health systems fail to reach all children,” O’Brien said in a virtual news release last month when the report was presented. Progress towards eliminating measles worldwide, 2000-2024, Which includes the latest regional data on cases and deaths of the most contagious disease in the world. 2025 won’t go the way either.
A country is considered to have been eliminated from measles if the disease does not appear again within a year: if an outbreak is registered, the counter starts again. O’Brien explains that if a country can control measles, its vaccination program and health system are considered “well-established.” “Measles is a fire alarm,” O’Brien explains. “When it shows up again, it warns you that there are gaps in immunity coverage, that the health system is not operating at peak performance, and that there are inequalities in care.” Clearly, if measles is present, it is “always safe” to delay attention to other diseases such as diphtheria, wounds, or polio.
After the pandemic, measles returned, and the world continues without regaining its achievements in reducing cases and vaccination coverage. In 2024, there will be 11 million cases, 8% more than in 2019. The region with the largest increase was the Eastern Mediterranean, with an increase of 86%. Well, countries like Iraq, Pakistan and Kazakhstan have very high numbers. According to Diana Zhang, head of the WHO Basic Immunization Program Unit, this is due to the fact that many countries in the region are affected by conflicts or humanitarian emergencies, which makes it very difficult to monitor the disease and vaccinate the population. He added: “Moreover, due to the pandemic, many immunization services have stopped. The Eastern Mediterranean region is one of the regions that faced difficulties in restoring high coverage.”
However, for the first time, there are measles-free countries in sub-Saharan Africa: such as Cape Verde, Mauritius and Seychelles. In addition, Africa is the region that has seen the largest decline in the number of cases (-40%) and deaths (-50%).
Despite the increase in cases, deaths fell from 780,000 in 2000 to 95,000 in 2024. The World Health Organization attributes this to the fact that some of the recent outbreaks are affecting high-income countries – and in Europe cases will increase by 47% – with the capacity of health systems to cope with serious complications.
The analogy is the childhood vaccine which, according to the World Health Organization, has saved more lives in the world: more than 59 million since 2000. But its full potential has not been used. Coverage of the first two doses of measles, which reached 86% in 2019, has decreased to 84%. Although the overall gap does not seem large, it is only a cause for concern because it means that there are more children without vaccines in the world. Although this immunization is cheap – it costs less than one euro – in 2024, there will be 20.6 million children who will not receive a first dose against measles. “Three quarters of these children live in the African region or the eastern Mediterranean. The most affected are those who live in vulnerable environments or are affected by conflicts,” Zhang added. The coverage rate with the second dose reaches only 76%.
It is more important than ever for community, religious, social and political leaders to better understand the reality of vaccines and share accurate and honest information about them.
Kate O’Brien, Director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals at the World Health Organization
The World Health Organization warns that one in five children with measles ends up in hospital. More serious cases can cause brain infections and even death. However, if the minor recovers, there are no guarantees either. “For weeks or months afterward, their immune system can be weakened or even destroyed, putting them at risk for illnesses like pneumonia, meningitis, or diarrhea,” O’Brien says.
Although the World Health Organization cites the pandemic’s impact on vaccination capacity as the primary reason for its stagnation, it recognizes that widespread misinformation is also a problem. “It is more important than ever that community, religious, social and political leaders understand the reality of vaccines well and share accurate and honest information about them,” O’Brien says.
The effect of the clips
This year is not the best. America, for example, lost its certification as a measles-free zone in November. It was the only region to enjoy this achievement until Canada was unable to stop the ongoing transmission of infection that began a year ago. EE UU and Mexico are two other countries with significant shoots and deaths. In Bolivia, even measles on the ground led to a national health emergency being declared in June, suspending school in some areas.
However, O’Brien asserts that the situation could be worse. Campaign quote Catch up on the big catch (La Gran Recuperación), which has vaccinated 11 million children since 2023 in an attempt to restore the progress achieved by the pandemic.
But the biggest fear is cutting off international aid. The WHO report notes that a sudden, but sustained, withdrawal of global health support from the United States would have “serious consequences” for the measles and rubella elimination program. This means weak vaccination programs, delayed vaccination campaigns, and a less effective response to the outbreak. “Identifying alternative sources of support for these critical functions is now a difficult priority, as many partners are simultaneously reducing their contribution due to foreign aid reductions from the United States and other governments,” he warned.