Global Surge in Measles Cases Linked to Declining Living Standards and Misinformation

Declining living standards and rampant online misinformation are fueling a global surge in measles cases, experts warn, reversing decades of progress made through vaccination programs.

Dr. Ben Kasstan-Dabush, a medical anthropologist at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, points to a “generational decline in living standards” as a key factor behind falling immunization rates worldwide. He specifically criticized the “vicious” austerity measures introduced by former UK chancellor George Osborne for contributing to declining NHS vaccination rates in Britain.

“It’s a global story,” Dr. Kasstan-Dabush told The Independent. “The issue of declining vaccination coverage can’t really be separated from the bigger picture of declining standards of child and adult health.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released a report confirming that rising measles cases worldwide are a direct consequence of declining vaccination rates, warning that outbreaks of other preventable diseases could follow.

The statistics paint an alarming picture. The UK has experienced an 831 percent increase in measles cases over the past decade, with 847 cases recorded between January and November 2025, compared to just 91 cases in 2015. Last year was particularly concerning, with the UK Health Security Agency recording 2,911 confirmed cases.

Globally, the situation is even more dire. Approximately 95,000 people, primarily children, died from measles in 2024, according to WHO data. The organization reported 59 countries experiencing large or disruptive outbreaks last year—nearly triple the number from 2021. Perhaps most concerning is that a quarter of these countries had previously eliminated the disease.

The WHO report revealed that approximately 30 million children worldwide are not fully protected by vaccination. Only 84 percent of children globally received their first dose of measles vaccine last year, and just 76 percent received the crucial second dose—well below the 95 percent coverage needed for herd immunity.

“There’s certainly misinformation around vaccination that exists and proliferates,” notes Dr. Kasstan-Dabush. “Misinformation is being spewed from the highest political echelons of the United States.” The anti-vaccination movements that gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic have further complicated public health efforts.

However, combatting misinformation has become increasingly difficult amid public funding cuts. In the UK, budget reductions at both local authority and national health levels have hampered vital communication and engagement work around vaccinations.

“We can talk about misinformation, but we have to understand how we can physically do something about it. How can we address it in this context of austerity that, to be honest, never really left us,” Dr. Kasstan-Dabush explained.

The impact of austerity on vaccination rates extends beyond the UK. In Italy, there is “absolutely clear evidence” that austerity measures in certain regions “correlated with declining vaccine uptake,” according to Dr. Kasstan-Dabush.

“Austerity was not specific to the UK; it happened across European countries. And what we will see now in the absolutely shameful decision of the UK Government to cut global health and development funding is the possible impact of that in the Global South,” he added. “The story is complex, from the local to the national to the global.”

WHO officials warn that measles outbreaks often serve as an early warning sign of broader vaccine coverage issues. Dr. Kate O’Brien, WHO’s director of the Department of Immunisation, Vaccines and Biologicals, described measles as “a fire alarm going off when smoke is detected.”

“When we see measles cases, it signals that gaps are almost certainly likely for other vaccine-preventable diseases like diphtheria, whooping cough, or polio, even though they may not be setting off the fire alarm just yet,” she explained.

In 2024, the WHO estimated 11 million measles infections worldwide—nearly 800,000 more than were recorded in 2019. Canada recently lost its measles elimination status, and the United States, with 1,798 cases from January to November, is at risk of losing its status as well. Currently, only 96 countries worldwide have eliminated measles, according to WHO figures.