Global Measles Cases Nearly Double in One Year: Crisis Amidst Many Crises

Rising cases of measles have nearly doubled globally from 2022 to the present year according to research presented by Dr. Patrick O’Connor at a global health congress in Barcelona, Spain. In 2022 there were approximately 171,153 reported cases worldwide but provisional data for this year shows an increase of over 94,000 so far and more than 321,582 overall as the number is likely to be higher due to underreporting. The US has also seen a significant rise in measles with 128 cases reported across 20 jurisdictions this year alone, which marks the highest figure since 2019 and poses a threat to America’s disease elimination status achieved by being declared free from spread of the illness inside its borders. Measles is highly contagious leading to potentially severe complications including pneumonia and brain swelling, and one dose of MMR (Measles-Mumps-Rubella) vaccine offers 93% protection against measles while two doses offer almost complete immunity at a rate of around 97%. The US aims for vaccination rates among children of no less than 95%, yet figures dipped below this mark in recent years, leaving approximately 250,000 unprotected kindergarteners during the current academic year. Dr O’Connor noted that measles represents “a crisis amongst many crises” with around 45% of outbreaks occurring within conflict-affected and fragile countries where vaccination coverage is low or non-existent, emphasising the need for high routine immunisation rates as well as outreach programmes to counteract these shortcomings.