Full History Of Measles In Timeline From 1914

1914: Measles Mortality Statistics

In 1914, a statistician for the Prudential Insurance Company estimated from a survey of 22 countries that 1% of all deaths in the temperate zone were caused by measles. He also observed that 1–6% of cases of measles ended fatally, depending on age, social conditions, and pre-existing health conditions.

1954: Isolation of the Measles Virus

In 1954, the virus causing measles was isolated from a 13-year-old boy, David Edmonston, and adapted and propagated on chick embryo tissue culture.

1957: Critical Community Size Concept Recognized

In 1957, M.S. Bartlett first recognized the concept that the continued circulation of measles in a community depends on generating susceptible hosts, referring to the minimum number supporting measles as the critical community size (CCS).

1957: Presumptive Evidence of Immunity

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that all adult international travelers who do not have positive evidence of previous measles immunity receive two doses of MMR vaccine before traveling, although birth before 1957 is presumptive evidence of immunity.

1963: First Measles Vaccine Available

In 1963, licensed vaccines to prevent measles became available.

1968: Improved Measles Vaccine Available

In 1968, an improved measles vaccine became available.

1980: Measles Deaths Worldwide

In 1980, 2.6 million people died from measles.

1985: Measles Death Rate in the U.S.

Between 1985 and 1992, the death rate for measles cases reported in the U.S. was 0.2%.

1987: Case Fatality Rate in the United States

Between 1987 and 2000, the case fatality rate across the United States was three deaths per 1,000 cases attributable to measles, or 0.3%.

1990: Measles Deaths Worldwide

In 1990, 545,000 people died due to measles.

1991: Measles Outbreak in Philadelphia

In 1991, a measles outbreak in Philadelphia centered at the Faith Tabernacle Congregation resulted in over 1400 infections and nine children's deaths due to the church's discouragement of vaccination.

1992: Measles Death Rate in the U.S.

Between 1985 and 1992, the death rate for measles cases reported in the U.S. was 0.2%.

1992: Greatest number of measles cases reported in the U.S. since 1992

In 2019, 1,282 individual cases of measles were confirmed in 31 states, this is the greatest number of cases reported in the U.S. since 1992.

1997: Increase in Measles Cases in Europe

In 2024, a significant increase in measles cases in Europe occurred, with 127,350 being reported, which was the highest caseload in the region since 1997, representing a third of global measles cases. The major centre of the resurgent outbreak appeared to be Romania where 30,692 cases were reported.

1999: Measles Initiative Vaccination Campaign

Worldwide, measles fatalities fell 60% from an estimated 873,000 deaths in 1999 to 345,000 in 2005, thanks to a vaccination campaign led by partners in the Measles Initiative.

2000: Case Fatality Rate in the United States

Between 1987 and 2000, the case fatality rate across the United States was three deaths per 1,000 cases attributable to measles, or 0.3%.

2000: Decrease in Measles Deaths

Between 2000 and 2017, vaccination efforts resulted in an 80% decrease in deaths from measles.

2000: Measles Eliminated from the United States

In 2000, measles as an endemic disease was eliminated from the United States, but continues to be reintroduced by international travelers.

2000: Measles Declared Eliminated in the United States

In 2000, measles was declared eliminated as an endemic disease in the United States.

2000: Establishment of the Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network

In 2000, the WHO established the Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network (GMRLN) to provide laboratory surveillance for measles, rubella, and congenital rubella syndrome.

2000: Significant Reduction in Measles Deaths

In 2012, the number of deaths due to measles was 78% lower than in 2000 due to increased rates of immunization among UN member states.

2001: Measles Cases in the United States

From 2001 to 2011, there were 911 measles cases in the United States.

2003: Last Measles Fatality in the U.S. Prior to 2015

Prior to the death in Washington State, the last recorded measles fatality in the U.S. was in 2003. This highlights the severity of the 2015 case, making it the first in 12 years.

2005: Estimated Measles Deaths Worldwide

Between roughly 1855 and 2005, measles is estimated to have killed about 200 million people worldwide.

2005: Measles Initiative Vaccination Campaign

Worldwide, measles fatalities fell 60% from an estimated 873,000 deaths in 1999 to 345,000 in 2005, thanks to a vaccination campaign led by partners in the Measles Initiative.

2007: Mortality Rate in England and Wales

From 2007 to 2017, the death rate in England and Wales occurred between two and three cases out of 10,000.

2008: Measles Death Toll

Estimates for 2008 indicate measles deaths fell further to 164,000 globally, with 77% of the remaining measles deaths in 2008 occurring within the Southeast Asian region.

2011: Measles Cases in the United States

From 2001 to 2011, there were 911 measles cases in the United States.

2011: Measles Virus Existence Challenged

In 2011, German anti-vaccination campaigner Stefan Lanka offered €100,000 for proof that measles is caused by a virus. After being presented with the evidence, Lanka refused to accept it, leading to a legal battle. Neurologist Steven Novella called Lanka "a crank".

2011: WHO Estimates of Measles Deaths

In 2011, the WHO estimated that 158,000 deaths were caused by measles.

2012: Reduction in Measles Deaths

In 2012, the number of deaths due to measles was 78% lower than in 2000 due to increased rates of immunization among UN member states.

2013: Measles Cases in Europe

In 2013–14, there were almost 10,000 measles cases in 30 European countries, with most cases occurring in unvaccinated individuals, predominantly in Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, and United Kingdom.

October 2014: Measles Outbreak in Berlin

Between October 2014 and March 2015, a measles outbreak in the German capital of Berlin resulted in at least 782 cases.

December 2014: Disneyland Measles Outbreak

From 4 January, to 2 April 2015, there were 159 cases of measles reported to the CDC. Of those 159 cases, 111 (70%) were determined to have come from an earlier exposure in late December 2014. The outbreak originated from the Disneyland theme park in California and was held responsible for the infection of 147 people in seven U.S. states as well as Mexico and Canada.

2014: Reduction in Measles Deaths

By 2014, global vaccination programs had reduced the number of deaths from measles to 73,000.

2014: CDC Statement on Endemic Measles

In 2014 the CDC said endemic measles, rubella, and congenital rubella syndrome had not returned to the United States.

2014: Measles Outbreak in Ohio

In 2014, an outbreak was initiated in Ohio when two unvaccinated Amish men harboring asymptomatic measles returned to the United States from missionary work in the Philippines, leading to 383 cases across nine counties.

2014: Vietnamese Measles Epidemic

In the spring of 2014, an estimated 8,500 measles cases were reported in the Vietnamese measles epidemic as of April 19, with 114 fatalities; as of 30 May, 21,639 suspected measles cases had been reported, with 142 measles-related fatalities.

March 2015: Measles Outbreak in Berlin

Between October 2014 and March 2015, a measles outbreak in the German capital of Berlin resulted in at least 782 cases.

April 2015: Measles Cases Reported to the CDC

From 4 January, to 2 April 2015, there were 159 cases of measles reported to the CDC.

2015: U.S. Woman Dies of Measles in Washington State

In 2015, a woman in Washington state died from pneumonia as a result of measles. She was the first measles fatality in the U.S. since 2003. The woman had been vaccinated but was taking immunosuppressant drugs.

2015: First Measles Death Since 2015

In 2025, the first measles death since 2015 was reported.

August 2016: Measles Outbreak Deaths in Myanmar

In August 2016, at least 40 children died during a measles outbreak in the Naga Self-Administered Zone in Myanmar. The outbreak was likely caused by a lack of vaccination.

2016: Measles Eliminated from the Americas

As a result of widespread vaccination, measles was declared eliminated from the Americas in 2016.

2016: Decreasing Measles Virus Genotypes

Data from 2016 to 2018 show that the most frequently detected measles virus genotypes are decreasing, suggesting that increasing global population immunity has decreased the number of chains of transmission.

2016: Brazil Wins Measles Elimination Certificate

In 2016, Brazil won a measles elimination certificate by the Pan American Health Organization.

2016: Record Low Measles Cases in Europe

In 2016, a record low of 4,400 measles cases were reported in Europe.

2016: Measles Interrupted in Brazil

In 2016, the spread of measles had been interrupted in Brazil, with the last-known case twelve months earlier. This last case was in the state of Ceará.

June 2017: First Measles Case in Maine in 20 Years

In June 2017, the Maine Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory confirmed a measles case in Franklin County, marking the first case of measles in Maine in 20 years.

2017: Re-emergence of Measles

After being declared eliminated in 2016, measles cases reappeared in the Americas in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.

2017: Measles Vaccination Statistics

As of 2017, approximately 85% of children worldwide had received their first dose of the measles vaccine.

2017: Global Measles Deaths

Estimates for 2018 were slightly higher than that of 2017, when 124,000 deaths were reported due to measles infection globally.

2017: Mortality Rate in England and Wales

From 2007 to 2017, the death rate in England and Wales occurred between two and three cases out of 10,000.

2017: Measles Resurgence in Europe

From 2017, a measles resurgence in Europe started to occur with numbers increasing in that year to 21,315 cases, with 35 deaths.

2017: Measles Reproductive Number Review

In 2017, a review of measles's reproductive number estimates provided a range of 3.7 to 203.3, which varies beyond the frequently cited range of 12 to 18.

2017: Two Measles Cases in Orthodox Jewish areas of Brooklyn

In 2017, there were only two measles cases in Orthodox Jewish areas of Brooklyn.

July 2018: Measles Case in Portland, Oregon

In 2018, a measles case occurred in Portland, Oregon. As of July 2nd, 2018, 500 people were exposed, with 40 lacking immunity and being monitored by county health officials.

August 2018: Confirmed cases of measles in Brazil

Until August 2018, totaling 1,053 confirmed cases of measles in Brazil. These outbreaks, and in most other cases, the contagion was related to the importation of the virus, especially from Venezuela.

October 2018: Measles Outbreak Begins in Brooklyn

In October 2018, a measles outbreak began in Brooklyn, New York, with more than 200 cases reported. This outbreak continued until February 2019 and was linked to the Orthodox Jewish community.

2018: Measles Outbreak Results in over 115,000 Cases

A measles outbreak in 2018 resulted in well beyond 115,000 cases and over 1,200 deaths.

2018: Re-emergence of Measles

After being declared eliminated in 2016, measles cases reappeared in the Americas in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.

2018: Measles as Leading Cause of Vaccine-Preventable Deaths

As of 2018, measles remains a leading cause of vaccine-preventable deaths in the world.

2018: Increase in Measles Cases

Cases reported in the first three months of 2019 were 300% higher than in the first three months of 2018, with outbreaks in every region of the world, even in countries with high overall vaccination coverage where it spread among clusters of unvaccinated people.

2018: Decreasing Measles Virus Genotypes

Data from 2016 to 2018 show that the most frequently detected measles virus genotypes are decreasing, suggesting that increasing global population immunity has decreased the number of chains of transmission.

2018: Measles Cases Centered on Orthodox Jewish areas of Brooklyn

In 2018, 285 measles cases were centered on the Orthodox Jewish areas of Brooklyn, while there were only two cases in 2017.

2018: Measles Vaccination Rate in Samoa

In 2018, the measles vaccination rate in Samoa was 31 to 34%.

2018: Global Measles Deaths

In 2018, there were 142,300 measles related deaths globally, of which most cases were reported from African and eastern Mediterranean regions.

February 2019: Brooklyn Measles Outbreak Continues

By February 2019, the measles outbreak that began in Brooklyn in October 2018, was ongoing with over 200 reported cases. The outbreak was linked to the Orthodox Jewish community, with the initial exposure from an unvaccinated child visiting Israel.

April 2019: New York Declares Public Health Emergency Due to Measles

In April 2019, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a public health emergency because of "a huge spike" in measles cases, with 285 cases in Orthodox Jewish areas of Brooklyn in 2018 compared to only two cases in 2017, and 168 more cases in neighboring Rockland County. Nationally, there were 695 cases in 22 states.

May 2019: Measles Outbreak Among Orang Asli in Malaysia

From May 2019, a measles outbreak among the Malaysian Orang Asli sub-group of Batek people in the state of Kelantan caused the deaths of 15 from the tribe.

August 2019: Measles Outbreaks Occurring in Africa

As of August 2019, measles outbreaks were occurring in Angola, Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria, South Sudan, and Sudan.

December 2019: Over 1,200 Measles Cases Confirmed in the U.S.

From January 1st to December 31st, 2019, 1,282 individual cases of measles were confirmed in 31 states in the United States. This was the greatest number of cases reported since 1992, with 128 hospitalizations and 61 reports of complications like pneumonia and encephalitis.

December 2019: Measles Vaccination Rate Increase in Samoa

In December 2019, Samoa's measles vaccination rate reached an estimated 94% of the eligible population following a vaccination campaign. A state of emergency was declared from 17 November to 7 December.

2019: Re-emergence of Measles

After being declared eliminated in 2016, measles cases reappeared in the Americas in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.

2019: Increase in Measles Cases

Cases reported in the first three months of 2019 were 300% higher than in the first three months of 2018, with outbreaks in every region of the world, even in countries with high overall vaccination coverage where it spread among clusters of unvaccinated people. In 2019, the total number of cases worldwide climbed to 869,770.

2019: Measles Outbreak in 2019

Following the end of the 2019 outbreak, reported cases fell to pre-outbreak levels.

2019: Measles Cases in the United States

In 2019 there were at least 1,241 cases of measles in the United States distributed across 31 states, with over three quarters in New York.

2019: Loss of Measles-Free Status

In 2019, the United Kingdom, Albania, the Czech Republic, and Greece lost their measles-free status due to ongoing and prolonged spread of the disease in these countries. In the first 6 months of 2019, 90,000 cases occurred in Europe.

2020: Re-emergence of Measles

After being declared eliminated in 2016, measles cases reappeared in the Americas in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.

2020: Measles cases in 2020

In 2020, 13 cases of measles were reported.

2020: Impact of COVID-19 on Measles Vaccination Campaigns

In 2020, the number of measles cases reported was lower compared to 2019. According to the WHO, the COVID-19 pandemic hindered vaccination campaigns in at least 68 countries, including in countries that were experiencing outbreaks, which caused increased risk of additional cases.

2021: Measles cases in 2021

In 2021, 49 cases of measles were reported.

2022: Measles cases in 2022

In 2022, 121 cases of measles were reported.

2023: WHO and CDC Report Increase in Measles Cases

In November 2024, the WHO and CDC reported that measles cases increased by 20% in 2023, primarily due to insufficient vaccine coverage in the world's poorest and conflict-affected regions, increasing from about 8.6 to 10.3 million cases.

February 2024: WHO Warns of Measles Outbreak Risk

In February 2024, the World Health Organization warned that more than half of the world was at risk of a measles outbreak due to COVID-19 pandemic-related disruptions.

November 2024: WHO and CDC Report Increase in Measles Cases

In November 2024, the WHO and CDC reported that measles cases increased by 20% in 2023, primarily due to insufficient vaccine coverage in the world's poorest and conflict-affected regions, increasing from about 8.6 to 10.3 million cases.

2024: Measles outbreak in the Bangsamoro region in the Philippines

In 2024, a measles outbreak was declared in the Bangsamoro region in the Philippines with at least 592 cases and 3 deaths.

2024: Increase in Measles Cases in Europe

In 2024, a significant increase in measles cases in Europe occurred, with 127,350 being reported, which was the highest caseload in the region since 1997, representing a third of global measles cases. The major centre of the resurgent outbreak appeared to be Romania where 30,692 cases were reported.

February 2025: Measles Outbreak in Texas and New Mexico

As of February 2025, a measles outbreak is ongoing amongst unvaccinated communities in Texas and New Mexico. On February 26, the first measles death since 2015 was reported to be that of an unvaccinated school-aged child in West Texas.