Measles: Alarming Rise in Cases, Vaccination Slumps in 2023

In 2023, the world saw a worrying surge in measles cases, with numbers climbing to over 10 million. This was a 20% jump from the previous year, according to the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The main culprit? Not enough kids were getting their measles shots. Over 22 million children missed their first dose of the vaccine last year. Globally, only about 83% of kids got their first dose, and just 74% got the second one. Health experts suggest at least 95% coverage in communities to prevent outbreaks. Measles is super contagious, and an infected person can spread it to up to 90% of those around them if they’re not immune. Mandy Cohen, head of the CDC, emphasized that the measles vaccine is our best defense. She pointed out that access to this vital protection needs to be boosted. In 2023, around 107, 500 people, mostly young kids under 5, died from measles. That’s an 8% drop from the year before, but it’s still way too many deaths from a preventable disease. Measles symptoms include high fever, cough, pink eye, runny nose, spots in the mouth, and a full-body rash. Young kids are at the highest risk of serious complications like pneumonia or brain swelling. The pandemic led to a drop in vaccination rates to the lowest since 2008. In 2023, nearly 60 countries faced major measles outbreaks, impacting all regions except the Americas. This was almost a 60% increase from the previous year. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO chief, highlighted that the measles vaccine has saved more lives than any other in the past five decades. To save even more, he stressed the need to ensure every person gets vaccinated, no matter where they live.