Measles deaths drop 71 percent globally during last decade
Measles deaths and new cases dropped significantly between 2000 and 2011 as immunization coverage also increased, according to the latest data from the World Health Organization (WHO) Jan. 17.
The WHO, a leading member of the Measles and Rubella Initiative reports, the number of measles deaths globally decreased by 71% between 2000 and 2011, from 542,000 to 158,000.
During the same period, new cases of the contagious viral disease dropped 58% from 853,500 in 2000 to 355,000 in 2011.
Measles vaccine coverage also increased during this time period. According to the WHO, estimated global coverage with a first dose of vaccine increased from 72% in 2000 to 84% in 2011. The number of countries providing the second dose through routine services increased from 97 in 2000 to 141 in 2011.
More than 1 billion children have been vaccinated through mass campaigns since the turn of the century, thanks in part to the Measles & Rubella Initiative.
Despite this progress, many countries experienced large measles outbreaks in 2011 and an estimated 20 million children worldwide did not receive the first dose of vaccine in 2011, with more than half from five countries.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) topped all countries with 134,042 cases in 2011.
This was followed by India (29,339), Indonesia (21,893), Nigeria (18,843), Somalia (17,298), and France with 14,949 cases.
6.7 million children in India did not receive the first dose of vaccine in 2011, by far the worst of all countries.
Since 2011, WHO and partners in the Measles and Rubella Initiative have developed a Global Measles & Rubella Strategic Plan 2012-2020. The plan presents a five-pronged strategy to cut global measles deaths by at least 95% by 2015 compared with 2000 levels and to achieve measles and rubella elimination in at least five WHO regions by 2020.
High vaccination coverage and other strategies are part of the plan.
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