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Measles

Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by a virus. It's one of the world's leading causes of death for a vaccine-preventable disease, and affects mainly children.

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All Content on this topic

A discarded mask on the lawn outside the Bundestag in Berlin

COVID: Is Germany prepared for another pandemic?

WHO is negotiating the world's first global accord on pandemics. How well is Germany prepared to cope?
HealthApril 29, 2024
A school girl in India gets a measles and rubella vaccine

Measles: A deadly disease that can be prevented

Measles cases are rising due to low vaccination rates. The WHO says half the world is now at risk of outbreaks in 2024.
HealthFebruary 21, 2024
A health worker prepares a malaria vaccination in Yala, Kenya

67 million children missed vaccines during pandemic: UNICEF

The COVID-19 pandemic caused major health care disruptions, with millions of children missing out on life-saving jabs.
HealthApril 20, 2023
Mothers with their young children in a Ghana hospital

Vaccine shortage hits Ghana

Vaccines can be a baby's first line of defense against disease. But Ghana is out of jabs, leaving many infants exposed.
HealthMarch 24, 202303:07 min
A person prepares a baby for a measles vaccination

Tanzania expands measles vaccination

The move by comes after the World Health Organization warned the virus is becoming a global threat.
SocietyJanuary 2, 202301:26 min
An India health worker injects a measles and rubella (MR) vaccine to a student

India: Mumbai races to halt measles outbreak

Officials partly blame a disruption to vaccine programs which has resulted in many kids missing measles vaccine doses.
HealthDecember 23, 2022
A child receives a measles vaccination jab at a local clinic in Harare

Zimbabwe: WHO triggers measles outbreak response

WHO officials hope that crisis response initiatives will save lives amid Zimbabwe's measles outbreak.
HealthSeptember 12, 2022
A child being innoculated

Zimbabwe: Measles outbreak among children spreads

The government has launched a mass vaccination campaign to contain a deadly measles outbreak but faces stiff resistance.
HealthSeptember 3, 2022
A child receiving a measles vaccination in Thuringia, Germany

German top court approves compulsory measles vaccination

The Federal Constitutional Court rejected a bid to overturn a vaccination requirement in day care centers and schools.
HealthAugust 18, 2022
Ambulance in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe: More than 150 children dead in measles outbreak

Government says 157 children have died as the total number of suspected cases nationwide has doubled in four days.
HealthAugust 17, 2022
DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

(More infectious) stealth omicron taking over

BA.2 is the most contagious variant ever analyzed. We're dropping our mandates anyway.
ScienceMarch 12, 202215:49 min
Vaccination drive against measles and rubella kicks off in Pakistan

Pakistan launches measles and rubella vaccine drive

Cases of measles and rubella have increased drastically in Pakistani children during the coronavirus pandemic.
HealthNovember 24, 202103:44 min
An aerial view of an Afghan refugee camp inside the US military base in Ramstein, Germany

Evacuated Afghans stranded in Germany

Thousands of Afghans are being forced to stay at Ramstein air base after a measles outbreak stopped flights to US.
ConflictsSeptember 13, 2021
DW Covid-19 Special Sendungslogo englisch

Keeping up children's vaccines

Routine vaccinations for children have fallen by the wayside as the pandemic derails standard public health measures.
July 28, 202112:01 min
DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

Vaccine efficacy v. effectiveness — and what it all means

What's the difference between vaccine efficacy and effectiveness? And how do the COVID-19 vaccine candidates stack up?
ScienceNovember 26, 202008:48 min
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Measles outbreak in DR Congo

A measles outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed thousands of lives.
HealthJune 29, 202002:43 min
DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

Indirect victims

Stay safe by being informed. Broadcast from Germany every day in under five minutes.
ScienceJune 5, 202004:53 min
A healthcare worker from the World Health Organization prepares vaccines

Donors pledge $8.8 billion to fund global vaccine drive

The world's focus may be on coronavirus, but other diseases such as measles, polio and typhoid are also being targeted.
HealthJune 4, 2020
A doctor preparing a TB vaccine for babies in Kayanza, Burundi

Don't ignore other diseases during COVID-19

In times of corona, the fight against classic diseases, like measles, TB, HIV and malaria, risks falling behind.
ScienceMay 13, 2020
Pakistan's fight against COVID-19 threatens polio, measles vaccine programs

Pakistan's COVID-19 fight threatens other vaccine programs

With vaccination programs for diseases like polio taking a backseat, many warn of a surge in other infectious diseases.
HealthMay 8, 2020
Symbolbild Masern-Impfung

UN warns of measles spike amid coronavirus

Coronavirus means essential measles vaccinations are being postponed indefinitely for millions of children.
HealthApril 14, 2020
Pediatrician injects a vaccine against measles in Berlin

Law mandating vaccines in German schools takes effect

Measles vaccinations are now required to register in German schools.
HealthMarch 1, 2020
People wait in a queue to get measles vaccination in DRC

Measles outbreak in DR Congo kills thousands

With more than 6,000 dead, the virus has killed almost three times as many people as any Ebola outbreak.
HealthJanuary 8, 2020
Children wait to get vaccinated at a health clinic in Apia, Samoa

Samoa arrests anti-vaxxer amid measles epidemic

The anti-vaccine campaigner had reportedly ignored a written warning to stop his activities.
HealthDecember 6, 2019
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Samoa: An anti-vaccine epidemic

The South Pacific state of Samoa has gone into lockdown as it carries out a mass vaccination campaign against measles. Anti-vaxxer messaging on social media is being blamed for driving the deadly epidemic. Brent Goff spoke to Cate Heinrich from UNICEF Pacific about the efforts to contain it.
December 5, 201904:02 min
Samoa Impfungskampagne gegen Masern

Samoa on lockdown for measles vaccination drive

Measles-hit Samoa has set two days to finish a mass vaccination of its 200,000 population.
HealthDecember 5, 2019
A New Zealand health official prepares a measles vaccination in Samoa

Unvaccinated Samoans told to fly red flags

Teams will go door-to-door administering vaccines after a recent spate of deaths in the Pacific nation.
HealthDecember 4, 2019
WHO measles vaccination certificate

WHO cites spike in global measles cases

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported a sharp rise in global measles cases compared to last year.
HealthNovember 28, 2019
Sign that reads: Health Alert, measles is a very contagious virus (February 13, 2019, AP)

Measles: Samoa declares state of emergency after fatalities

A measles outbreak has prompted the government to invoke emergency powers and make MMR vaccinations mandatory.
HealthNovember 18, 2019
USA Masern 2015 | Boston Children's Hospital in Boston

Germany makes measles vaccination compulsory

Critics say parents should have the right to decide, but Germany's health minister says the bill is "child protection."
PoliticsNovember 14, 2019
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World Stories - The Week in Reports

Bangladesh: prostitution from desperation, Northern Iraq: economic upswing, Madagascar: deadly measles
PoliticsSeptember 21, 201912:23 min
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Madagascar: Death from Measles

Vaccination rates are in decline in rich and poor countries alike, leading to deadly outbreaks of preventable diseases.
HealthSeptember 21, 201902:51 min
Measles vaccine

Alarming spike in measles in Europe: WHO

The UN health body said countries need to launch vaccination campaigns and dispell misinformation about vaccines.
HealthAugust 29, 2019
Symbolbild Kinder Impfung Afrika Archiv 2014 Bangui

Measles cases triple globally: WHO

Germany plans to make measles vaccinations compulsory for children from March.
HealthAugust 13, 2019
A child being vaccinated

Measles vaccine gap poses risk in Germany

One of Germany's biggest health insurers warns that lack of measles vaccination is more widespread than assumed.
PoliticsAugust 8, 2019
A person gets a measles injection

German Cabinet backs measles jab for schoolkids

A new draft law would make it compulsory for children attending school or kindergarten to get the measles vaccination.
HealthJuly 17, 2019
Children getting Measles vaccine in China

'Dangerous' number of vaccines missed, UN report warns

Almost 20 million children missed their vaccinations in 2018, the report said.
HealthJuly 15, 2019
Measles vaccination in Germany

Richer countries show lower trust in vaccines

According to a global survey, the French are the biggest skeptics in the world about the safety of vaccines.
HealthJune 19, 2019
A measles vaccine

US could lose measles elimination status over outbreaks

If the US cannot control its current measles outbreaks, it may lose its status of having eliminated measles.
HealthMay 31, 2019
Pakistan Polio Impfung in Lahore

Empathy, not facts, key to combating anti-vaxxer mentality

Vaccination opt outs have steadily risen since the 1990s. A new study says there's a better way to change minds.
HealthMay 24, 2019
A doctor vaccinates a baby with a small needle

The nursery — a measles hot spot?

The more parents don’t vaccinate their kids, the higher the health risk for those who are too young to be treated.
ScienceMay 13, 2019
A girl with measles

Measles infected 34,000 in Europe in two months, says WHO

Just this week, Germany proposed a fine for parents who don't vaccinate their children.
HealthMay 7, 2019
Syringe with a needle

Anti-vaxxers could face steep fines in Germany

In a bid to "eradicate" measles, Germany is mulling fines of up to €2,500 ($2,800) for non-vaccinating parents.
HealthMay 5, 2019
The Freewinds near Castries

Scientology cruise ship quarantined in Caribbean for measles

Authorities on St. Lucia say they quarantined a Church of Scientology cruise ship after a case of measles aboard.
HealthMay 3, 2019
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Germany's vaccination problem

When it comes to vaccination coverage, Germany fails to meet the standards of the World Health Organization.
HealthApril 26, 201902:51 min
File photo dated 25/04/13 of a measles vaccination being administered

Millions of children missed measles vaccine

There are millions of children across the globe that missed the first dose of the measles vaccine, according to UNICEF.
HealthApril 25, 2019
Infektion - Kind mit Masern (Colourboxk)

Why measles is so deadly and vaccination so important

Measles is not just a simple virus you catch as a child. It can be fatal for everyone.
ScienceMarch 27, 2019
A medical worker prepares a measles vaccine

Germany: Measles vaccine could be compulsory

Facing the threat of a measles outbreak, the German government is mulling making the vaccine mandatory for children.
HealthMarch 25, 2019
A person receive a vaccination

Italy cracks down on unvaccinated schoolchildren

Italian parents are falsifying vaccine documents to prevent their children from being blocked from attending school.
HealthMarch 13, 2019
A medical worker prepares a free measles vaccine

Facebook to combat vaccine misinformation

The social media network has announced a series of measures to limit the spread of misinformation about vaccinations.
HealthMarch 8, 2019