2024 brought more troubling news about measles
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A surge in measles cases linked to declining vaccination rates could threaten the United States’ measles elimination status, the CDC said in 2024.
Experts have warned about the resurgence of measles for years, and of other vaccine-preventable diseases in the context of rising vaccine hesitancy. Below are 10 stories we reported about measles in 2024, and other diseases that have emerged or reemerged, including pertussis.
Global measles cases increase 20%, driven by ‘stalled’ vaccine coverage
According to a CDC and WHO report, measles cases increased 20% globally and 37% in Africa, with more than 22 million children globally missing their first dose of the measles vaccine. Read more.
Rise in cases threatens US measles elimination status, CDC says
Although 96% of measles cases reported in the U.S. since 2020 have been associated with importation, nearly two-thirds of them occurred among U.S. residents who may not have been vaccinated. CDC officials said the increase threatens the country’s status as having eliminated endemic measles which would be lifted if a single outbreak lasts more than a year. Read more.
Oregon measles outbreak hits 30 cases, all in unvaccinated people
Oregon, which has the second highest rate of kindergarten vaccine exemptions in the U.S., reported 30 measles cases over the course of 2 months, during which the state said there had been sustained transmission. Read more.
Kentucky county declares pertussis outbreak
Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, made a comeback in 2024 in several U.S. states. One of the earliest outbreaks this year was in Kentucky’s Fayette County, where cases were confirmed at several schools, as well as among members of the community. Read more.
WHO: Global cholera deaths increased by 71%
Conflict, climate change, water safety, sanitation, poverty and population displacement were linked to more than 535,000 cases of cholera reported in 2023. Read more.
Q&A: Waning smallpox immunity not the only cause of mpox surge in DRC
In addition to end of smallpox vaccination in 1980 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, spillover events and increased transmissibility have contributed to its spread inside the country, as well as to other parts of Africa and the world. Read more.
Breakthrough mpox cases linked to risky sexual behaviors
Although the mpox vaccine has been shown to be effective at preventing infection, a study showed that risky sexual behaviors, especially repeatedly engaging in them, were linked to breakthrough cases of the virus. Read more.
First US case of clade 1 mpox reported in California
The 2022 global mpox outbreak was caused by clade II mpox, including through sexual contact, but late in 2023, clade I mpox was detected to be spreading through sexual contact in Eastern Africa, where the virus has caused an ongoing impact. Read more.
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