More than 14 million children worldwide have not received a single routine vaccination, and the UK ranks worst among G7 nations for MMR immunisation, according to new data from the World Health Organization and Unicef. Only 89% of eligible children in the UK received their first measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab in 2024, compared with 96% in Germany and 95% in France, Italy and Japan.
Globally, over 30 million children are not fully immunised against measles, mumps and rubella, and 14.3 million have had no routine infant vaccinations at all. While measles coverage improved slightly last year, reaching 2 million more children than in 2023, vaccination rates have declined in some middle- and high-income countries and stagnated elsewhere, leaving children increasingly vulnerable to outbreaks.
In Europe and central Asia, vaccination coverage dropped by an average of one percentage point compared with 2019 levels. More than half of the 53 countries in the region failed to reach the 95% vaccination rate needed for herd immunity in 2024, and almost a third reported coverage below 90%. Montenegro had the lowest coverage, with just 23% of children receiving their first MMR jab.
Reported measles cases worldwide continue to rise. WHO and Unicef estimate there were about 10 million cases and more than 100,000 deaths from measles in 2023. The number of countries reporting large and disruptive outbreaks nearly doubled from 33 in 2022 to 60 in 2024. Cases in Europe doubled during 2024, and in the US they reached a three-year high.
Unicef warned that without concerted action, millions more children could die or fall seriously ill from measles. Ephrem Tekle Lemango, Unicef's chief of immunisation, said: 'In 2024 alone, over 20 million children globally missed their first measles dose and nearly 12 million missed their second – leaving dangerous immunity gaps that continue to fuel outbreaks.' He stressed the need to reach 95% coverage with two doses in every district to protect every child.
Childhood immunisation rates for other diseases also remain below pre-pandemic levels. In 2024, 115 million infants (89% of the total) received at least one dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (DTP) jab, while 85% had all three. Vaccination rates for polio and hepatitis B declined to 93% and 91% respectively. Dr Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, urged countries to invest in strong local health systems and fight misinformation to prevent outbreaks.
