Eye-Popping WHO Report Shows Measles Surging Across the Globe

Measles isn’t just making a comeback in the United States. In a report out this week, the World Health Organization found that cases of the vaccine-preventable disease surged in Europe and Central Asia last year, reaching the highest levels seen in over two decades. The WHO released its analysis, jointly conducted with UNICEF, on Thursday. According to the report, there were more than 120,000 documented cases of measles in the European region, which covers 53 countries across Europe and Asia, in 2024. The tally is double the number reported in 2023, and the highest total seen in the area since 1997. Measles is an incredibly contagious viral disease, though there has been a widely available and highly effective vaccine available against it since the 1970s (the combination measles, mumps, and rubella—or MMR—vaccine). Successful vaccination programs drove measles to the brink of eradication in many places, including the U.S. and Europe. The U.S. officially eliminated the local transmis ... Read full article.