The World Health Organisation (WHO) expressed deep concerns about the rapid spread of measles, reporting over 306,000 cases worldwide in the past year alone – marking a startling 79% surge from the previous year.
Natasha Crowcroft, a technical adviser on measles and rubella at WHO, stated, “We in the measles world are extremely concerned,” emphasizing the gravity of the situation.
Measles, a highly contagious and potentially fatal airborne disease, poses a significant threat to children’s health, leading to severe complications and even death.
Crowcroft highlighted the drastic under-reporting of measles cases, suggesting that the actual number is likely much higher than reported.
WHO’s latest estimate for 2022 revealed a staggering 9.2 million cases and 136,216 measles-related fatalities, with a 43% increase in deaths compared to the previous year.
Anticipating a surge in deaths in 2023, Crowcroft emphasized the impending challenges and warned that over half of all countries are at high risk of measles outbreaks by the end of the year.
The increase in cases is attributed to declining immunisation coverage, with global vaccination rates dropping to 83%, well below the recommended 95% to prevent outbreaks.
The distribution of cases and deaths is marked by severe inequality, with 92% of measles-related child deaths occurring in low-income countries, home to less than a quarter of the global population.
Amidst these concerning developments, Crowcroft stressed the urgent need for global attention and concerted efforts to combat the alarming resurgence of measles.
