Source: UN News: Wednesday, 03 December 2025 00:01 AM
The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that in many areas of the world, cases of measles infection are increasing because millions of children have not been able to get the vaccine to protect them following the disruptions related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Tweet URL
The UN Health Agency said on Friday that although there has been an 88 percent decline in measles-related deaths since 2000, last year about 95 thousand people died due to the measles virus, most of which were children.WHO Dr. Kate O’Brien, director of immunization and vaccine affairs at the CDC, said measles remains one of the most serious illnesses worldwide, caused by a highly contagious virus that affects the respiratory system and lungs. One person infected with the virus can infect up to 18 other people, she said. “Many people think measles is not serious – but it is very serious, and it can be fatal. Out of 5 infected children, On average, one child has to be admitted to hospital. Last year, about 11 million people around the world were infected with the measles virus. This number was 8 lakh more than before the Covid-19 pandemic. The majority of these infection cases occurred in children under the age of 5, and the majority of those cases were recorded in Africa and the eastern Mediterranean region. But no child should have to suffer the consequences of measles, Dr Kate O’Brien stressed. Just two doses of the vaccine provide 95 percent protection. “It is a matter of great regret that children are not protected by the vaccine because the system is not able to deliver the vaccine to them.” Measles A rapid increase in measles infections has been recorded across borders. In 2024, 59 countries saw widespread or disruptive outbreaks, three times more than in 2021. Last year, only 84 percent of children worldwide received the first dose of measles vaccine, but 76 percent did not receive the second dose, which is considered critical. In this way, approximately 3 crore children were deprived of solid protection. © WHO Diana Chang-Blanc, head of WHO’s mandatory program on vaccination, says, “Measles does not recognize boundaries between countries. A country is only fully protected when every child, everywhere, is fully protected.”
