Global measles deaths show historic decline

GENEVA - The annual death toll from measles dropped below 100,000 worldwide for the first time last year, to 90,000, the World Health Organization and other international agencies said on Thursday.

Reporting an 84 percent drop in 16 years, to 90,000 deaths in 2016 from more than 550,000 in 2000, the Measles and Rubella Initiative said more children getting vaccinations was the main reason for the worldwide decline.

But the report stressed the world is still far from eliminating measles. Coverage with the first of two required doses of vaccine has stalled around 85 percent since 2009, it said, short of the 95 percent needed. Coverage with the second dose was only 64 percent in 2016.