A dangerous resurgence of measles, driven by crumbling public health systems and a torrent of online falsehoods, is sweeping the globe, scientists have warned. Decades of progress in curbing the disease through vaccination are being rapidly undone, with the UK experiencing an 831 per cent increase in cases over the last ten years.
A Perfect Storm: Austerity and Falsehoods
Medical anthropologist Dr Ben Kasstan-Dabush from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine points to a 'generational decline in living standards' and sustained public spending cuts as core reasons for falling immunisation rates. He specifically highlighted the impact of austerity measures initiated by former chancellor George Osborne, which he says degraded the NHS's capacity for vital vaccine communication and outreach.
'We can talk about misinformation, but we have to understand how can we physically do something about it?' Dr Kasstan-Dabush told The Independent. 'How can we address it in this context of austerity that, to be honest, never really left us.'
This environment has allowed misinformation to flourish, particularly following the anti-vaccination movements of the Covid pandemic. 'Misinformation is just being spewed from the highest political echelons of the United States,' he added, noting the global nature of the challenge.
Alarming Data Points to a Global Crisis
The scale of the problem is stark. According to a recent World Health Organisation (WHO) report, an estimated 95,000 people, mostly children, died from measles globally in 2024. The UK Health Security Agency recorded 847 cases between January and November this year, a dramatic leap from just 91 in 2015. The previous year, 2024, saw one of the UK's worst outbreaks with 2,911 confirmed cases.
Globally, the situation is equally dire. In 2024, 59 countries experienced large or disruptive measles outbreaks, nearly triple the number in 2021. A quarter of these nations had previously eliminated the disease. Canada lost its measles-free status last year, and the United States is on course to follow suit.
Perhaps the most concerning statistic is that 30 million children worldwide are not fully protected by vaccination. Global coverage for the crucial first dose stands at only 84%, dropping to 76% for the essential second dose.
A Warning Sign for Other Diseases
Experts stress that measles acts as a critical early warning system. Dr Kate O'Brien, WHO's director of Immunisation, Vaccines and Biologicals, explained that its high transmissibility means outbreaks flare first when overall vaccination rates drop.
'Its high transmissibility means that even small drops in vaccine coverage can trigger outbreaks, like a fire alarm going off when smoke is detected first,' she said. 'When we see measles cases, it signals that gaps are almost certainly likely for other vaccine-preventable diseases like diphtheria or whooping cough or polio.'
Dr Kasstan-Dabush warns that the consequences of austerity and funding cuts are not confined to the UK or Europe. He expressed concern over the UK government's decision to cut global health funding, predicting a damaging 'possible impact of that in the Global South'. The story, he concludes, is complex and interconnected, 'from the local to the national to the global.'
