By Mariam Sunny

(Reuters) -Global measles cases fell 71% to 11 million in the years spanning 2000 to 2024, driven by improved vaccination coverage, the World Health Organization said in a report on Friday.

Measles vaccination has prevented nearly 59 million deaths globally, with the number dropping nearly 88% to 95,000 over the 24-year period, according to the report.

Last year did see a resurgence in measles, with estimated cases rising 8%, compared with pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Measles-related deaths, however, fell 11% during that period, reflecting a higher number of infections in middle-income countries with a lower fatality ratio, the WHO 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 a

See Full Page