Since 2000, when measles was declared eliminated from the United States, measles-associated deaths worldwide have dropped by 88%, according to a report published late last week by the World Health Organization (WHO).
But in 2024, measles cases surged in a number of countries, a post-pandemic rebound that has ended the elimination status of Canada and puts the United States elimination status in major jeopardy.
59 countries reported disruptive outbreaks in 2024
In 2024, there were 95,000 measles deaths recorded globally, according to the WHO report. While this is the lowest global death toll since 2000, overall cases in 2024 totaled 11 million, roughly 800,000 more than pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
Fifty-nine countries reported large or disruptive measles outbreaks, triple the number reported in 2021. By the end of 2024, 81 countries (42%) had eliminated measles, which is three additional countries since before the pandemic.
Measles is the world's most contagious virus, and these data show once again how it will exploit any gap in our collective defenses against it.
“Measles is the world's most contagious virus, and these data show once again how it will exploit any gap in our collective defenses against it,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD, said in a press release. “Measles does not respect borders, but when every child in every community is vaccinated against it, costly outbreaks can be avoided, lives can be saved, and this disease can be eliminated from entire nations.”
Overall, the WHO said measles cases in 2024 increased by 86% in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, 47% in the European Region, and 42% in South-East Asian Region compared with 2019.
And last year, only 84% of children received the first dose and 76% received the second dose of measles vaccine worldwide.
South Carolina Upstate outbreak hits 62 cases
Late last week South Carolina reported seven new measles cases, raising the state’s total to 62 cases, almost all part of a large Upstate outbreak.
Six of the new cases are household members of known cases who were in quarantine, officials said, and one case was an individual exposed in a school setting who was in quarantine.
Currently six people are in isolation.
The United States has recorded almost 1,800 measles cases
