In the past 20 years, measles vaccines have helped prevent an estimated 31.7 million infections. But despite progress toward eliminating the disease, the fight is far from over.
Measles cases fell worldwide between 2000 and 2016, with a brief rise between 2017 and 2019. But the number fell again in 2020, and the report says that in the past two decades, incidence of the disease has fallen a whopping 94 percent.But decrease isn’t eradication, and the pandemic has set back progress toward a world without measles.
“While reported measles cases dropped in 2020, evidence suggests we are likely seeing the calm before the storm as the risk of outbreaks continues to grow around the world,” said Kate O’Brien, director of WHO’s Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals, in aSince measles is so contagious, even a small number of cases can fuel outbreaks. The United States reached eradication — defined as no transmission for a year and a well-performing surveillance system — in 2000.
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