Global Struggles Deepen in Fight Against Measles

Rapid Summary:

• Measles outbreaks have surged globally, with notable deaths reported in the UK, Canada, and the US despite it being a preventable disease.
• The US is experiencing its largest measles outbreak since 2000, with over 1,300 cases in seven months. Europe recorded its highest caseload in over 25 years in 2024. Canada has seen more than 3,800 cases this year – higher than the combined total of the past two decades.
• Declining vaccination rates are driving these outbreaks; herd immunity requires over 95% coverage but rates are below this threshold across many regions worldwide.

– In Gaines County, Texas (the epicenter of the US outbreak), MMR vaccination rates dropped from around 95% to less than 77%.
– In Alberta, CanadaS hotspot for measles cases: MMR coverage fell from over 83% (2019) to about 80%.
– The UK’s recent figures show less than 85% of five-year-olds received both doses during the school year.

• Vaccine hesitancy is accelerating this decline; experts have identified misinformation as a key driver behind falling immunization rates even though vaccines are proven safe and effective at preventing severe effects like encephalitis associated with infections.
• experts warn that current vaccine resistance may usher further declines in protection against other diseases such as polio or pertussis.

Indian Opinion Analysis:
india is no stranger to battling vaccine hesitancy and communicable diseases due to socio-cultural challenges or misinformation campaigns online-issues similar to those driving global measles resurgence today. Though India’s immunization initiatives such as Mission Indradhanush aim for wide-scale coverage against preventable diseases like measles-polios overlap demonstrating proactive-mitigation-reputational models maintained avoids critical?