ASHENEWS reports that a new report published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that deaths from measles infections have increased globally.
The report, released earlier this week noted that reduced vaccination among countries for the disease has led to an 18 percent increase in cases and a 43 percent death rate when compared to similar figures recorded before 2021.
The report highlighted that unlike in 2021 when 22 countries recorded the outbreak of measles, 37 countries “experienced large or disruptive measles outbreaks.”
“While a modest increase in global vaccination coverage occurred in 2022 from 2021, there were still 33 million children who missed a measles vaccine dose: nearly 22 million missed their first dose and an additional 11 million missed their second dose.
“The global vaccine coverage rate of the first dose, at 83%, and second dose, at 74%, were still well under the 95% coverage with two doses that is necessary to protect communities from outbreaks,” the report said.
Recommending increased vaccination to reduce risks, the report noted that an estimated 57 million measles deaths were averted by vaccination between 2000–2022.
The report noted that with the decline of coverage recorded in low-income countries, stakeholders must strengthen surveillance, thereby preventing outbreaks and accelerating progress toward measles elimination.
It further recommended targeted efforts that will see to the prevention of infections and subsequent deaths from the disease.
