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In light of recent measles outbreaks in Western countries, the Global Virus Network (GVN), a coalition of leading virologists working in more than 40 countries, has called for stronger public messaging to encourage measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination in children.
In the US, there have been 29 measles outbreaks so far this year, according to the Center for Disease and Control (CDC) – a significant increase on the 16 outbreaks recorded during the whole of 2024.
As of July 15, the CDC has recorded 1,309 cases of the disease and 3 related deaths.
One death has been reported in Canada, and another reported in the UK.
Fighting a measles outbreak
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease, most commonly spread among children. Prior to the development of a vaccine in the 1950s, the virus claimed over two million deaths each year. Strong vaccination programs in Western countries eventually pushed deaths down to single digits, and virtually quashed outbreaks, but casualties remained higher in developing nations, largely due to limited vaccine access.
Despite this laudable progress, the disease has begun to make a comeback in certain Western countries, as highlighted by the US’s 29 recent outbreaks.
These outbreaks follow increasing global rates of vaccine skepticism – perpetuated by online conspiracy influencers – and a drop in child MMR vaccination uptake; during the 2023–2024 school year, kindergarten vaccination rates fell to 92.7% in the US, 3.3% below the herd immunity target of 95%.
In response, the GVN has urgently called for stronger public health messaging on the need for vaccines.
“Every measles outbreak is a failure of public health infrastructure and public trust,” Scott C. Weaver, GVN Center of Excellence director at the University of Texas Medical Branch, said in a statement published on July 16.
“We cannot afford complacency. The MMR vaccine is safe, effective and essential to safeguarding our communities, especially the most vulnerable among us.”
Weaver and his colleagues at the GVN have also called for improved outbreak surveillance programs and focused efforts in underserved and rural communities, “where access and hesitancy pose heightened risks.”
Measles rates are also surging in Africa and southeast Asia, exacerbated by war, displacement, fragile health systems and interrupted vaccination campaigns. The World Health Organization and the CDC report that over 10.3 million cases occurred worldwide in 2023, up from just 10,000 in 2022.
“As global travel rebounds, localized outbreaks can quickly become international threats,” Robert C. Gallo, chairman of the Scientific Leadership Board and co-founder of the GVN, said in a statement. “This is not just about measles, it’s a warning about what happens when we let our guard down against vaccine-preventable diseases.”
Reaction from the UK
In response to the recent death of a child from measles in Merseyside, England, UK researchers have also stressed the importance of compelling, encompassing vaccination campaigns to address falling MMR rates.
“It is deeply saddening to hear that a child has died as a result of measles virus infection at Alder Hay hospital, as well as yet more children requiring treatment in hospital,” Stephen Griffin, a professor of Cancer Virology at the University of Leeds, said in a statement to the UK’s Science Media Centre.
“While it’s not known for certain whether the child in question was vaccinated, this would certainly be the most likely explanation for this dreadful outcome,” he wrote.
“The vaccine is highly effective, preventing infection and disease with ~95–97% efficacy for many years. However, due to the incredibly high infectivity of the virus, we need to maintain coverage at ~95%, a target that we are woefully short of in many parts of the UK at present.”
“Ultimately,” Griffin added, “there is a sinister, well-funded network of people spreading mis/disinformation, that exacerbates hesitancy and plays on insecurities. It is vital that we counter these movements with education about the risks of infectious disease, as well as accounting for community and other variables. If action isn’t increased, we face the possibility of such tragedy becoming increasingly commonplace.”