According to recent data released by leading health agencies, measles deaths worldwide nearly doubled last year. The spike of 43% is attributed to a significant decrease in vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that immunization levels dropped to their lowest in 15 years during that time. In 2021 alone, approximately 33 million children missed a vaccine dose, continuing the downward trend.
John Vertefeuille, the director of the CDC’s Global Immunization Division, stated, “The increase in measles outbreaks and deaths is staggering, but unfortunately, not unexpected given the declining vaccination rates we’ve seen in the past few years.” The highly contagious disease infected 9 million children in 2022, marking a 20% increase from 2021. Furthermore, 136,000 children lost their lives to measles, with epidemics spreading in 14 more countries compared to the previous year.
While two doses of the measles vaccine effectively protect children in developing countries, the global immunization rates stand at about 66%. Vertefeuille emphasized that this rate shows no recovery at all from the decline during the pandemic. Consequently, the WHO launched an immunization recovery plan in April to enhance vaccination education programs worldwide, particularly in wealthier countries like the United Kingdom.
The United States also experienced a surge in measles cases. According to CDC data, there was more than a twofold increase in U.S. measles cases between 2022 and 2021, rising from 49 to 121 reports. So far this year, 41 cases have been reported. During the pandemic, from 2019 through 2020, there were 1,287 cases reported in 31 states, the highest number since 1992. These cases were primarily among the unvaccinated, aligning with the global trend. The most recent recorded measles-related death in the U.S. occurred in 2015, with no deaths reported in the 12 years prior.
Despite the concerning increase in measles deaths globally, measles vaccination rates in the U.S. remain relatively high at around 90%. In 2022, approximately 93% of U.S. kindergarteners had received the state-required vaccinations for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), according to CDC data from November. However, vaccination rates vary by state.
Measles is a highly dangerous disease, especially for infants and young children. The CDC warns that early symptoms of measles typically include fever, cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes, and a rash.
In addition to the measles outbreak, the flu season is currently underway. Vaccination is crucial to protect communities and prevent overwhelming healthcare systems. Preliminary estimates from the CDC indicate that last season, individuals vaccinated against the flu were 40 to 70% less likely to be hospitalized due to flu illness or related complications. As of April 2023, the rate of flu vaccination among children under 18 was around 55%, a decrease from 62% at the start of the pandemic.
