Measles Kills 95,000 as 29 Million Infants Remain Under-Protected, WHO Warns
The World Health Organization estimates that 95,000 people succumbed to the highly infectious measles in 2024—mostly children under five, which continues to pose a threat to children’s health and survival.
Vaccination is effective in preventing the disease but millions of children are underprotected. It is estimated that approximately 29 million infants were not protected from measles in 2025 and 77% of children did not receive the two recommended doses by WHO and UNICEF.
The figures illustrate the dangers to children if they do not receive the necessary health care services. Children who are not immunized are at higher risk of complication and mortality, especially among those living in poverty, in conflict areas or in areas with poor health service infrastructure.
Pneumonia, severe diarrhoea, dehydration, inflammation of the brain are complications of measles. Children with weak immune systems or malnourished are particularly susceptible to complications.
The disease is highly contagious and is spread through the air when someone who has the disease coughs or sneezes. An infected individual may be able to cause up to 18 secondary infections, thus the importance for high vaccination coverage to help protect communities.
Vaccination has currently saved an estimated 59 million lives from 2000 to 2024 despite these risks. Measles deaths also fell significantly, from an estimated 780,000 in 2000 to 95,000 in 2024.
Community-wide vaccination continues to be the most effective method of preventing measles, and children need two doses of vaccination to be fully protected, according to WHO.
For child organisations, prevention of measles is more than just treatment. This calls for availability of children for routine immunisation, healthy foods, safe health services and timely protection, especially in times of conflict, displacement and humanitarian crisis.
Improving vaccine coverage is essential to protecting children from a preventable disease.
