Confirmed cases jumped to 300,000 in 2023, a 79 per cent increase from 2022, according to WHO data. This is a fraction of the nine million infections estimated to occur every year.
Outbreaks have recently been reported in America, Australia, Africa, Central Asia, and Europe, where infections were 44 times higher in the first two months of 2024 compared to the same period for 2023.
In Britain, measles cases have soared to their highest level since the 1990s – prompting the UK Health Security Agency to declare a national incident last month.
Since October, 347 laboratory-confirmed cases have been reported in England, compared to just 53 cases for 2022.
Measles can affect any age group, but complications are more acute in those under five and over 30 years. If contracted in pregnancy, the disease can lead to stillbirth, miscarriage, or premature birth.
Symptoms usually begin 10 to 14 days after exposure to the virus, and include a prominent rash, running rose, cough, red and watery eyes, and small white spots inside the cheeks.
Complications include blindness, encephalitis, severe diarrhoea, and breathing problems including pneumonia.
At least 130,000 people are suspected to have died of measles in 2022, according to WHO modelling, with the death toll expected to be much higher in 2024 as infections rise.
“In 2024, a death from measles should not be acceptable. We have a very effective safe vaccine that should prevent deaths from measles everywhere,” said Ms Crowcroft.
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