New data from the World Health Organization (WHO) reveals that 103 countries have experienced measles outbreaks over the past five years.
In 2023 alone, nearly 35 million children were either unvaccinated or only partially protected against the disease.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlighted the top ten international measles outbreaks this year, with Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Iraq, and India leading the list.
Meanwhile, in the United States, 167 measles cases have been reported across 24 jurisdictions in 2024.
On July 15, 2024, the WHO confirmed that only 83% of children worldwide received their first dose of the measles vaccine, and 74% received their second dose.
While, these numbers fall short of the 95% coverage needed to prevent outbreaks.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General said in a statement, noting, "Measles outbreaks are the canary in the coal mine, exposing and exploiting gaps in immunization and hitting the most vulnerable first."
He further added, "This is a solvable problem. The measles vaccine is cheap and can be delivered even in difficult places. WHO is committed to working with all our partners to support countries in closing these gaps and protecting the most at-risk children as quickly as possible."
Moreover, the CDC advises those unsure about their measles vaccination status to schedule an appointment with their clinician at least six weeks before traveling to ensure they have enough time to get vaccinated with the MMR vaccine.
