'World's most contagious virus' surging with kids under 5 most at risk, warns WHO

(Web Desk) - One of the world’s most infectious diseases is surging globally as the number of countries experiencing large outbreaks has tripled since 2019, a chilling report warns.

Children under the age of five are most vulnerable to measles, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

An estimated 11 million people caught the virus in 2024, figures from the United Nations organisation suggests, up 7 per cent on the 10.4 million in 2023.

And at least 59 countries suffered large outbreaks last year, up from 57 in 2023 – and almost three times the number seen before the pandemic.

Measles is highly contagious, as it spreads easily when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes.

It tends to infect the respiratory tract before spreading throughout the body, causing a high temperature, cough, runny nose and telltale rash.

In rare cases, measles can result in serious complications such as blindness, brain swelling and pneumonia, which can prove fatal.

At least 95,000 people – mostly young children – died from measles in 2024, one of the lowest death tolls recorded since 2000.

Getting vaccinated with the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab is the best protection from getting measles and spreading the virus to others.

But waning vaccination rates across the world are fuelling an increase in measles cases, health chiefs warned.

In 2024, an estimated 30 million children remained under-protected against measles, WHO figures show.

Three-quarters of them live in the African and Eastern Mediterranean regions, often in fragile, conflict-hit or hard-to-reach communities.

Global vaccination rates also remain too low.

Last year, 84 per cent of children received their first measles jab — but only 76 per cent got the crucial second dose.

To reach herd immunity – which helps to stop outbreaks – uptake of both jabs needs to hit 95 per cent, the WHO says.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said: “Measles is the world’s most contagious virus, and these data show once again how it will exploit any gap in our collective defences against it.

“Measles does not respect borders, but when every child in every community is vaccinated against it, costly outbreaks can be avoided, lives can be saved, and this disease can be eliminated from entire nations.”

A particularly large surge was seen in the Eastern Mediterranean, which includes Turkey, Israel, Palestine and Cyprus.