“Measles made a stealthy return as another virus took the spotlight”

Key points

• Global study shows measles infections, deaths rising since 2020 due to disrupted programmes.
• Vaccination coverage declined after the COVID-19 pandemic and funding gaps emerged.
• In 2023, about 16 million children under five contracted measles worldwide.
• Approximately 118,000 measles deaths occurred in 2023 according to the study.
• The trend reverses decades of decline in measles incidence and mortality.