Global measles cases fell 71% to 11 million cases between 2000 and 2024, driven by improved vaccination coverage, the World Health Organization said in a report released Friday.
According to the report, vaccination prevented nearly 59 million deaths globally during this period.
Deaths decreased further by 88%, reaching 95,000 deaths in 2024, which is among the lowest annual rates since 2000.
But the report said that estimated cases in 2024 rose 8%, while deaths decreased 11% compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, reflecting a shift in the burden of the disease from low-income countries to middle-income countries with lower mortality rates.