Measles deaths rose 15% last year, to 142,000

More than 142,000 people died worldwide from measles last year, according to new CDC and WHO estimates. The new figure represents an increase from 2017, when 124,000 people died from the disease. Last year’s total case count — more than 9.7 million — represents a nearly 170% increase since 2016.  Most of last year’s deaths were in children under the age of 5, and five countries — including the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ukraine — accounted for almost half the cases. The recent surge is due to dropping vaccination rates: A 95% coverage rate is required to maintain immunity in communities, but the WHO estimates that 86% of children last year received the first dose of the MMR vaccine, and fewer than 70% received the second dose.