Measles and Whooping Cough Rebound Among Children
Parents of young children should confirm routine vaccinations are current as coverage stalls worldwide.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Diseases — General
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Two Global Burden of Disease studies estimate that global measles and pertussis burden among children rebounded sharply after 2020, with an estimated 15.6 million measles cases and 118,000 measles deaths in 2023. The findings cover 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2023 and are most relevant to parents, clinicians, and public health planners tracking childhood vaccination.
Why it matters
Global measles incidence and mortality fell roughly 80% and 90% between 1990 and 2019, but both rebounded after 2020, and researchers attribute the resurgence to stagnating vaccine coverage. The rebound matters because measles and pertussis are both largely preventable through childhood vaccination, so coverage gaps translate directly into preventable illness and death.
These are modeled estimates from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors Study 2023, covering 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2023, with the measles study assessing incidence, mortality, disability-adjusted life years, and vaccine coverage among children under 5. Global MCV1 measles vaccine coverage fell from a 2019 peak of 83.6% to 81.0% in 2023, while MCV2 reached 71.4%, and the estimates rely on modeling rather than direct case counts.
The players
Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors Study 2023
A large international research collaboration that produces standardized estimates of disease burden and risk factors across countries, used widely to guide global health policy.
Ghana News Agency
Ghana's national news agency, which published the report on the two studies.
The details
Measles is highly contagious and spreads through respiratory droplets, and a two-dose vaccine schedule is the main tool for preventing it, so when the share of children receiving the first dose falls, susceptible populations accumulate and outbreaks become more likely. Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a bacterial infection that causes severe coughing fits and can be fatal in infants, and it likewise depends on sustained childhood immunization for control. The studies show that the gains made between 1990 and 2019 were reversed in the years around the pandemic, when routine immunization services were disrupted. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for roughly 65% of global pertussis deaths, reflecting where the burden is concentrated.
Timeline
1990: Study period begins, establishing baseline measles and pertussis estimates.
2019: Measles incidence and mortality reach pre-pandemic lows and MCV1 coverage peaks.
2020: Declines are followed by sharp rebounds in measles and pertussis burden.
2023: Latest year covered by the burden estimates.
Health Landscape
The Global Burden of Diseases study 2023 series, which spans 1990 to 2023, provides the long-run baseline against which these vaccine-preventable disease rebounds are measured. Its findings place the post-2020 resurgence against the Immunization Agenda 2030 target of 90% vaccine coverage, which the current 81.0% MCV1 figure remains well short of.
If you have young children or are planning a pregnancy, it is worth asking your doctor or pediatrician whether your child's measles and pertussis vaccinations are up to date and on schedule. Because these diseases are most dangerous in infants and young children, staying current on routine childhood immunization is the most practical step, and any questions about timing or catch-up doses are best discussed directly with a clinician.
The takeaway
Routine childhood vaccination is the main defense against measles and pertussis, and the post-2020 rebound shows how quickly protection erodes when coverage stalls. Ask your child's healthcare provider to confirm that vaccines are current, and keep a record of immunization dates so gaps can be caught early.
Further reading
For broader context on how these infections fit into the wider picture, explore our Diseases — General coverage.
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