Nearly 16 million children under five contracted measles in 2023 — Nature

Worldwide, nearly 16 million children under the age of five contracted measles in 2023, and 118,000 of them died. These estimates are contained in a global study of measles infections, deaths and vaccination levels, as reported by Nature.

Increase in incidence since 2020

According to the study, the number of measles cases among children worldwide has been rising since 2020. This reversed a long-term trend of declining measles incidence.

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Nature notes that vaccination coverage declined after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted public health programs and their funding.

Unequal access to vaccination

Children in South Asia and countries in sub-Saharan Africa are less likely to receive two doses of the measles vaccine than children in other regions of the world. The study includes data on measles cases, mortality and vaccination levels.