Measles cases reach 23-year high, killing more than 200,000

The percentage of people who have received a first measles shot has stagnated in recent years and the coronavirus pandemic is now lowering vaccination rates by halting immunization campaigns, putting 94 million people at risk, according to the WHO.

The situation is like an increasing amount of tinder that could result in a “forest fire,” Natasha Crowcroft, a senior technical officer on measles at the WHO, said on a call with journalists.

Nine countries represented 73% of all cases, with large outbreaks occurring in Congo, Madagascar, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine, according to Crowcroft. The airborne disease caused 207,500 deaths last year.

“Measles is entirely preventable,” Seth Berkley, head of the vaccine group Gavi, said in a statement. “In a time in which we have a powerful, safe and cost-effective vaccine nobody should still be dying of this disease.”

Read more: How Measles Made a Comeback After Elimination in U.S.: QuickTake

For this year, the number of measles cases has dropped, mirroring declines in other infectious diseases. The precautions people take against Covid-19 are also effective in reducing the spread of viruses in general.