More than half of the world at ‘high’ risk of measles outbreaks, WHO warns

In 2024, some 142 million children will be susceptible to measles infection, the majority in low or middle-income countries, according to the WHO – NARENDRA SHRESTHA/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

More than half the world’s countries will be at high risk of measles outbreaks by the end of the year, the World Health Organisation has warned.

Cases of the highly infectious disease have been increasing in recent years across most regions in the world largely due to missed vaccinations during the Covid-19 years, when health systems fell behind on routine jabs for preventable diseases.

Global vaccination coverage for measles currently stands at 83 per cent, which falls short of the 95 per cent needed to eradicate the disease.

In 2024, some 142 million children will be susceptible to measles infection, the majority in low or middle-income countries, according to the WHO.

“What we are worried about is this year we’ve got big gaps in our immunisation programmes and if we don’t fill them really quickly with the vaccine, measles will just jump into that gap,” Natasha Crowcroft, a Senior Technical Adviser on Measles and Rubella at the WHO, told a Geneva press briefing on Wednesday.

Measles can affect any age group, but complications are more acute in those under five and over 30 years – Bilanol/iStockphoto

Confirmed cases jumped to 300,000 in 2023, a 79 per cent increase from 2022, according to WHO data. This is a fraction of the nine million infections estimated to occur every year.

Outbreaks have recently been reported in America, Australia, Africa, Central Asia, and Europe, where infections were 44 times higher in the first two months of 2024 compared to the same period for 2023.

In Britain, measles cases have soared to their highest level since the 1990s – prompting the UK Health Security Agency to declare a national incident last month.

Since October, 347 laboratory-confirmed cases have been reported in England, compared to just 53 cases for 2022.

Measles can affect any age group, but complications are more acute in those under five and over 30 years. If contracted in pregnancy, the disease can lead to stillbirth, miscarriage, or premature birth.

Symptoms usually begin 10 to 14 days after exposure to the virus, and include a prominent rash, running rose, cough, red and watery eyes, and small white spots inside the cheeks.

Complications include blindness, encephalitis, severe diarrhoea, and breathing problems including pneumonia.

At least 130,000 people are suspected to have died of measles in 2022, according to WHO modelling, with the death toll expected to be much higher in 2024 as infections rise.

“In 2024, a death from measles should not be acceptable. We have a very effective safe vaccine that should prevent deaths from measles everywhere,” said Ms Crowcroft.

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