The number of global measles incidences declined and measles vaccine coverage increased between 2000 and 2010, but progress toward eliminating the disease has slowed since 2010, according to a report.
Between 2000 and 2014, annual reported measles incidences declined 73% worldwide, from 146 to 40 cases per million population. During this same time period, annual estimated measles deaths also decreased to 114,900 from 546,800 – a 79% drop, according to Dr. Robert T. Perry of the department of immunization, vaccines, and biologicals at the World Health Organization, and his colleagues (MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2015 Nov 13;64[44]:1246-51).
CDC/ Cynthia S. Goldsmith; William Bellini, Ph.D.
Measles vaccinations prevented an estimated 17.1 million deaths between 2000 and 2014, but vaccination coverage seems to be at a standstill. While the percentage of children aged 1 year receiving coverage with the first dose of measles-containing vaccine (MCVI) increased to 85% from 72% between 2000 and 2010, growth in this coverage has halted. The percentage of 1-year-old children receiving the MCVI has remained at 85% through 2014, with an estimated 20.6 million infants having not received the MCVI in 2014. Fifty-six percent (approximately 11.6 million) of these infants who did receive the MCVI were in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Global coverage of the second dose of measles-containing vaccine increased between 2000 and 2014, from 15% to 56%.
Despite the increased MCVI coverage since 2000, the World Health Assembly’s global milestones and measles elimination goals for 2015 will not be achieved, according to the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization.
“Reaching measles control and elimination goals will require addressing policy and practice gaps that prevent reaching larger numbers of children with measles vaccination, increasing viability of measles elimination efforts, and ensuring adequate resources for strengthening health systems,” said Dr. Perry and his colleagues.
Read the full report in the Nov. 13 issue of MMWR.