The WHO warns that the number of measles cases worldwide increased by 79% last year

About 306,000 cases were reported in 2023, indicating an increase in contamination, particularly in Europe.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is concerned about the rapid spread of measles around the world, with more than 306,000 cases reported last year, an increase of 79% in one year. Because of this jump, “We also expect the number of deaths to increase in 2023”But the data won’t be available until November, Natasha Crowcroft, technical adviser on measles and rubella at the WHO, told reporters. “Measles cases have steadily increased in all but one WHO region”.America region.

The latest global data (as of February 2024) shows 306,291 cases reported to WHO in 2023, compared to 171,156 cases in 2022, an increase of 79%, but the organization insists the actual figure is much higher. According to WHO estimates, 9.2 million cases were reported last year. The resurgence of this highly contagious viral disease, which can cause life-threatening complications and is spread through the air, has been attributed to declining vaccination coverage during the Covid years.

Global Immunization Coverage 83%

Over 30,000 cases of measles Recorded in Europe last year, the WHO had already announced, that is thirty times more than in 2022. Kazakhstan and Russia are the most affected countries with more than 10,000 cases each. France benefits from vaccination coverage in infants “Closer to the goal of eliminating the disease”Public Health France reported in late January. According to unaggregated data, the country will have just over a hundred cases in 2023.

“Measles and rubella prevention is no longer a global and government priority due to competing issues such as Covid-19, economic crises, conflicts…”, cites WHO in a note sent to the media. Measles prevention requires that 95% of children receive two doses of the vaccine against the disease. However, globally, vaccination coverage is 83% and has not returned to 2019 levels (86%).

Natasha Crowcroft said there were 51 major measles outbreaks last year, compared to 32 in 2022. To determine the number of deaths caused by this disease, WHO usually conducts modeling. It is not yet the results for 2023, but “I can tell you that in 2022, the number of deaths increased by 43% according to our models, with more than 130,000 deaths due to measles”noted the expert, who spoke via video conference from Cairo.