Preliminary data released from the global health agency shows the number of outbreaks has soared by 300 percent in the first three months of 2019 compared to the same period last year. Initial figures show the extent of the health crisis, with 112,163 reported cases of the disease already this year across 170 countries, compared to just 28,124 cases across 163 countries in 2018. In a statement the WHO said: “While this data is provisional and not yet complete, it indicates a clear trend.”
It added: “‘Many countries are in the midst of sizeable measles outbreaks, with all regions of the world experiencing sustained rises in cases.”
Measles can be extremely dangerous if untreated and official figures show it claimed the lives of almost 110,000 people in 2017.
The most concerning aspect of the resurgence of the virus, is it has spread into countries with the highest vaccination rates, including the US.
The number of cases of measles has grown by 300 percent in 2019 (Image: GETTY)
The WHO
