Measles and pertussis burdens rebound in young children as vaccination stalls
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Updated Global Burden of Disease estimates, both published in Nature Medicine, track the burden of measles and pertussis from 1990 to 2023. Measles incidence and mortality in children under 5 fell steadily from 1990 to 2019, then rebounded after 2020 as global vaccination progress stalled. Pertussis shows a similar pattern: an overall decline from 1990 to 2023, but rising incidence and mortality since 2020, most notably in high-income regions, which the authors likewise attribute to stalled vaccination progress worldwide. Together the two analyses point to a shared driver — faltering immunization coverage — reversing decades of gains against both diseases. What remains open is whether coverage can be restored, and how far the post-2020 rebounds will extend.
Written by a model from the reports · updated 2 hours ago
Developments
- Oct 21 08:00 · 2 reportsMeasles burden in under-5s rebounded after 2020Nature · Global and regional burden of measles and vaccine coverage among children under 5 years, 1990−2023: a Global Burden of Disease Study
- Oct 21 08:00 · 1 reportPertussis burden rebounding since 2020, notably in rich regionsNature · Global, regional and national burden of pertussis in 1990–2023: a Global Burden of Disease study
Coverage timeline
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- NaturePickGlobal and regional burden of measles and vaccine coverage among children under 5 years, 1990−2023: a Global Burden of Disease Study
An update to the Global Burden of Disease Study shows that measles incidence and mortality among children under 5 declined steadily from 1990 to 2019, then rebounded after 2020 as global vaccination progress stalled. The paper was published in Nature Medicine, DOI: 10.1038/s41591-026-04661-7.
- NaturePickGlobal, regional and national burden of pertussis in 1990–2023: a Global Burden of Disease study
A Global Burden of Disease study published in Nature Medicine provides updated estimates: the pertussis burden declined overall from 1990 to 2023, but incidence and mortality have rebounded since 2020, most notably in high-income regions. The authors attribute this to stalled progress in global vaccination. DOI: 10.1038/s41591-026-04660-8.
Coverage and heat for this story
Reports so far 3·Heat now 7·Peak heat 10 (Oct 21 08:00)·Reports, 24h +3
Two panels, same clock (pointer stays in sync): top is cumulative editorial reports — only rises; last point = All reports; slope = new reports that hour. Bottom is Live-board heatIndex — 7-day participants with a 24-hour half-life, so it can fall when talk cools.