Measles

Factsheet

Key Facts

• Measles is a highly contagious, serious airborne disease caused by a virus that can lead to severe complications and death.
• Measles vaccination averted nearly 59 million deaths between 2000 and 2024.
• Even though a safe and cost-effective vaccine is available, in 2024, there were an estimated 95 000 measles deaths globally, mostly among unvaccinated or under vaccinated children under the age of 5 years.
• The proportion of children receiving a first dose of measles vaccine was 84% in 2025, slightly below the 2019 level of 86%.

Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus. It spreads easily when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. It can cause severe disease, complications, and even death.

Measles can affect anyone but is most common in children.

Measles infects the respiratory tract and then spreads throughout the body. Symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose and a rash all over the body.

Being vaccinated is the best way to prevent getting sick with measles or spreading it to other people. The vaccine is safe and helps your body fight off the virus.

Before the introduction of measles vaccine in 1963 and widespread vaccination, major epidemics occurred approximately every two to three years and caused an estimated 2.6 million deaths each year.

An estimated 95 000 people died from measles in 2024 – mostly children under the age of five years, despite the availability of a safe and cost-effective vaccine.

Accelerated immunization activities by countries, WHO, the Measles & Rubella Partnership, and other international partners successfully prevented an estimated 59 million deaths between 2000 and 2024. Vaccination decreased an estimated measles deaths from 780 000 in 2000 to 95 000 in 2024 (1).

Measles is a highly infectious viral disease caused by a Morbillivirus. It only affects humans and rapidly spreads among individuals who have not been vaccinated. It is transmitted via droplets from the nose, mouth or throat of infected persons.