Measles deaths drop by 60%

Measles deaths around the world have decreased by 60% since 1999, to fewer than 345,000 last year, in what the head of the World Health Organization called a “historic victory for global public health.” Deaths totaled 873,000 in 1999.

The decrease resulted from a $300-million Measles Initiative begun in 2001 to cut measles deaths in half.