Global and regional burden of measles and vaccine coverage among children under 5 years, 1990-2023: a Global Burden of Disease Study.

Global measles incidence and mortality increased by 40% and 12%, respectively, in 2023 after decades of decline, indicating a sharp resurgence among children under 5.

• Why it matters: Measles remains a leading vaccine-preventable cause of disease burden in children, especially in low-income regions, and the resurgence threatens to reverse progress made since 1990.
• What they did: Using data from the GBD 2023, the study assessed measles incidence, mortality, DALYs, and vaccine coverage in 204 countries from 1990 to 2023, highlighting stagnation in immunization efforts.
• The result: The findings reveal that vaccine coverage has plateaued or declined slightly, with many regions below the 90% target, emphasizing the urgent need to restore vaccination and improve outbreak preparedness worldwide.