BANGKOK – This week, the United States saw its first measles-related death since 2015, following the demise of an unvaccinated child amid an outbreak in Texas. Typically, measles cases in the U.S. originate from individuals who have traveled abroad. Texas authorities have recorded 124 cases to date, with neighboring New Mexico reporting nine.
The measles vaccination rates have seen a global decline post-COVID-19 pandemic. In the U.S., the majority of states have fallen below the 95% vaccination mark essential for protecting communities against outbreaks, particularly in kindergartners. Across the Atlantic in the UK, 2024 saw 2,911 confirmed cases, the country’s most significant annual tally since 2012.
In the previous year, measles cases in the U.S. nearly doubled compared to 2023, fueling worries over the resurgence of this preventable childhood disease. Health officials identified cases across at least 18 states in 2024, affecting major urban centers such as New York City, Philadelphia, and Chicago. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasizes that any measles presence is a global concern.
Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that in 2023, approximately 10.3 million people contracted measles, with 107,500 fatalities, mainly among the unvaccinated or children under 5. Higher incidence rates were observed in regions where poverty and inadequate healthcare prevail, such as Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
Despite a minor decline in measles-related deaths in 2023, the frequency of outbreaks increased, with 57 countries, including India, Indonesia, Russia, Yemen, and Iraq, experiencing significant outbreaks. The Democratic Republic of the Congo recorded the most cases in 2023, numbering 311,500.
The decline in global childhood vaccination rates, which fell from 86% in 2019 to 83% in 2023, partly due to COVID-19-related healthcare disruptions, has contributed to the current situation. The WHO estimates vaccines have averted more than 60 million deaths worldwide from 2000 to 2023. Measles catastrophically infected large numbers before the 1963 vaccine introduction, causing about 2.6 million annual deaths.
Achieving 95% immunity is crucial to prevent measles epidemics due to its high infectiousness. The WHO notes that nine out of ten individuals exposed will contract the virus without immunity. In response, the WHO supports initiatives like the “Immunization Agenda 2021-2030,” aiming to eradicate measles.
The Americas were declared free from endemic measles in 2016, but that status was revoked in 2018 due to outbreaks in Brazil and Venezuela. The drop in vaccination coverage threatens efforts to fully eliminate the disease. Consequently, global health organizations have intensified immunization campaigns and worked tirelessly to bridge prevention gaps.
