Between 2000 and 2024, vaccines saved nearly 59 million lives. Measles deaths have dropped 88 percent since 2000, but infections are rising Healthcare
The World Health Organization (WHO) has published a new report finding that global vaccination efforts have reduced measles deaths by 88 percent between 2000 and 2024. Vaccines have saved nearly 59 million lives.
However, despite the impressive decline in mortality, the disease continues to spread. In 2024, about 95 thousand people died from measles, mostly children under five years of age. This is one of the lowest rates in decades, but every death from a disease that can be prevented by a cheap and effective vaccine remains a tragedy. According to the WHO, the number of cases of measles infection worldwide has risen sharply, with about 11 million reported in 2024 – 800 thousand more than before the pandemic in 2019. “Measles is the most contagious virus in the world, and these data again show that it is using any gaps in our collective protection,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “If every child in every community is vaccinated, we can avoid outbreaks, save lives, and ultimately eliminate the disease entirely.”
Regional Trends
In the Eastern Mediterranean, the number of measles cases increased by 86 percent compared to 2019, in Europe – by 47, in South-East Asia – by 42. In contrast, Africa showed a decrease: the number of cases fell by 40 percent, deaths by 50, which is associated with increased vaccination coverage. In 2024, 84 percent of children received the first dose of the vaccine in world, the second is only 76, while at least 95 percent coverage with two doses is required to prevent transmission of the virus. More than 30 million children remain unprotected, three quarters of them in Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean.
Large outbreaks
In 2024, major measles outbreaks were reported in 59 countries, almost triple the number in 2021. In 2025, the situation became more complicated in the Americas, where massive outbreaks also began. WHO warns that cuts in funding for laboratory networks and national vaccination programs could lead to further failures in immune defense and an increase in the number of infections. In 2025, they were joined by the Pacific island nations, as well as Cape Verde, Mauritius and Seychelles – the first countries in Africa to be confirmed to have eradicated the disease. In total, 96 countries now have measles-free status. Even in developed countries, the disease sometimes returns due to vaccination rates falling below the 95 percent threshold. WHO calls on governments to make sustainable investments to ensure that all children receive two doses of vaccine and strengthen surveillance systems.