Measles is now “an imminent threat” globally, WHO and CDC warn

Falling vaccination rates and reduced surveillance during the covid-19 pandemic have created an “imminent threat” of measles spreading in every region of the world, the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have warned.

Globally, measles vaccination coverage has fallen steadily since the beginning of the pandemic, with a record of nearly 40 million children missing a vaccine dose in 2021, a joint report1 from the organisations highlighted. Globally, 25 million children missed their first dose and another 14.7 million children missed their second dose last year.

The report said that declining vaccine coverage, weakened measles surveillance, …