The World Health Organization (WHO) said in a report released today that global measles cases have decreased by 71% to 11 million cases between 2000 and 2024, driven by improved vaccination coverage. According to the report, vaccination has prevented nearly 59 million deaths worldwide during this period. Deaths decreased even further, by 88%, to reach 95,000 deaths in 2024, which is among the lowest annual rates since 2000. However, the report noted that estimated cases in 2024 increased by 8%, while deaths decreased by 11% compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, reflecting a shift in the disease burden from low-income countries to middle-income countries where mortality rates are lower.
