Measles cases doubled in one year
Listen to the story (American accent)
The number of measles cases worldwide almost doubled from 2022 to 2023.
Dr. Patrick O'Connor from the World Health Organization (WHO) says it has become more difficult for many countries to stop the disease. In 2022, there were 171,153 cases globally, but in 2023, it went up to 321,582 cases. So far in 2024, there have been over 94,000 cases.
Almost half of this year's cases are in WHO’s Europe region. Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Yemen have had the most cases.
In the US, there have been 128 measles cases reported this year, the most since 2019, says the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2000, the US said measles was eliminated which means no more spreading within the country. However, the CDC says they might have to change that status.
Measles is very contagious and can make you very sick, especially if you're young and haven't had the vaccine. About 20% of people who get measles and don’t have the vaccine in the US need to go to the hospital. Sometimes, measles can make your brain swell, or even cause death.
The measles vaccine has stopped an estimated 57 million people from dying between 2000 and 2022, says O'Connor. In the US, kids usually get the measles vaccine at 1 year old and again at 4-6 years old. Two doses of the vaccine are 97% effective.
The US has a goal of 95% of kindergartners getting the vaccine, but in 2022-2023 only 93.1% of kindergarteners got two doses. About 250,000 kids didn’t get the vaccine.
Vocabulary24 words
- Measles
- A sickness that gives you a fever, cough, and red spots on your skin;
- Case
- When one person gets sick, that’s called a cas
- Worldwide
- all around the world; everywhere in the world
- Double
- two times more; 2x; 100% more
- Disease
- illness; sickness; disorder; something that attacks the body
- Globally
- related to the whole world; everywhere in the world
- Region
- a large area of the Earth; an area of land with similar qualities/characteristics
- Report
- to tell other people about something; to share information; announce; explain
- Eliminate
- to remove, take away or get rid of something or someone; to defeat someone so that they cannot continue in a competition
- Spread
- When something moves from one place to another; how a sickness/disease jumps from one person to another.
- Within
- in a certain amount of time
- Status
- rank; classification; position; standing; level in society; The condition or position of something
- Contagious
- Something that can be passed from one person to another; A sickness that can easily spread from person to person
- Especially
- to show that something is greater or more important than other things; particularly; notably; specifically; for the most part
- Vaccine
- a medicine/substance that protects you from getting sick
- Brain
- ?; the organ in humans and animals that we use to think
- Swell
- To get bigger, puffier, “fatter” or thicker
- Cause
- make something (usually bad) happen; create
- Death
- when someone or something stops being alive; the end of a life
- Estimate
- guess; approximate; judge; suppose
- Dose
- how much/the amount of medicine you should take at one time
- Effective
- when something works well and does what it is supposed to do
- Goal
- aim or purpose; objective; target; something you want to achieve or complete
- Kindergartner
- A child who is in their first year of school in the US
Quiz
Answer key
1. 171,153 2. World Health Organization 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
The _____ of measles cases worldwide almost doubled from _____ to 2023.
Dr. Patrick O'Connor from the World Health _____ (WHO) says it has become more difficult for many countries to stop the _____. In 2022, there were 171,153 cases globally, but in 2023, it went up _____ 321,582 cases. So far in _____, there have been over 94,000 cases.
Almost _____ of this year's cases are in WHO’s Europe region. Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Yemen _____ had the most cases.
In the US, there have been _____ measles cases reported this year, the most since 2019, says the _____ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In _____, the US said measles was eliminated which _____ no more spreading within the country. However, the CDC says they _____ have to change that status.
Measles is _____ contagious and can make you very sick, especially if you're _____ and haven't had the vaccine. About 20% of people _____ get measles and don’t have the vaccine in the US need to _____ to the hospital. Sometimes, measles can make your brain swell, or even _____ death.
The measles vaccine has _____ an estimated 57 million people from dying between 2000 and _____, says O'Connor. In the US, kids usually get the _____ vaccine at 1 year old and again at 4-6 years old. Two doses of the _____ are 97% effective.
The US has a goal of _____% of kindergartners getting the vaccine, but in 2022-2023 only 93.1% of kindergarteners _____ two doses. About 250,000 kids didn’t get the _____.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think the number of measles cases worldwide almost doubled from 2022 to 2023?
- What are some challenges countries might face in controlling the spread of measles?
- Should there be stricter rules regarding vaccinations for attending school?
- In your opinion, did the COVID-19 vaccine change the way people feel about all vaccines?
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