Global measles deaths plunge by 48% over past six years

An ambitious global immunization drive has cut measles deaths by nearly half between 1999 and 2004, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) announced today.Global deaths due to measles fell by 48%, from 871 000 in 1999 to an estimated 454 000 in 2004, thanks to major national immunization activities and better access to routine childhood immunization, the agencies said. These measles mortality data, calculated by WHO, are the latest available.