Health officials are calling a rise in measles cases and deaths across the world “staggering,” citing the “alarming” increase mostly among children to a decline in vaccination rates over the years. New data released Thursday, Nov. 16, from the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s shows global cases increased by 18% last year, and deaths increased by 43%.
Children everywhere have the right to be protected by the lifesaving measles vaccine, no matter where they live.
Kate O’Brien, WHO Director for Immunization
Officials said the estimated number of measles cases was approximately 9 million, and there were 136,000 deaths. The number of countries battling outbreaks of measles increased from 22 in 2021 to 37 in 2022.
“The increase in measles outbreaks and deaths is staggering, but unfortunately, not unexpected given the declining vaccination rates we’ve seen in the past few years,” said John Vertefeuille, director of CDC’s Global Immunization Division. “Measles cases anywhere pose a risk to all countries and communities where people are under-vaccinated. Urgent, targeted efforts are critical to prevent measles disease and deaths.”
The CDC said measles is a preventable disease, with two doses of a vaccine. However, a reported 33 million children missed a dose last year. According to WHO, the pandemic played a role in the backslide in vaccinations, especially in low income countries where vaccination rates are lowest at 66% and the risk of death from measles is the highest.
“The lack of recovery in measles vaccine coverage in low-income countries following the pandemic is an alarm bell for action. Measles is called the inequity virus for good reason. It is the disease that will find and attack those who aren’t protected,” said Kate O’Brien, WHO Director for Immunization, Vaccine and Biologicals. “Children everywhere have the right to be protected by the lifesaving measles vaccine, no matter where they live.”
More than half of the 22 million children who did not get their first does of the measles vaccine in 2022 live in just 10 countries.
- Angola
- Brazil
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Ethiopia
- India
- Indonesia
- Madagascar
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Philippines
In the U.S., the CDC reported an increase in measles cases from 49 in 2021 to 121 in 2022. Forty-one cases have been reported in the U.S. so far this year. The WHO and CDC are urging countries around the globe to vaccinate every child against the measles to help prevent outbreaks of the highly contagious disease.