Measles Deaths in Africa Plunge by 91%
29 Nov 2007 16:50 Africa/Lagos Measles Deaths in Africa Plunge by 91% Africa Leads Strong Decline in Global Measles Deaths Joint News Release: American Red Cross/UN Foundation/CDC/WHO/UNICEF/62 ATLANTA, GENEVA, NEW YORK and WASHINGTON, Nov. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Measles deaths in Africa fell by 91 percent between 2000 and 2006, from an estimated 396,000 to 36,000, reaching the United Nations 2010 goal to cut measles deaths by 90 percent four years early. The spectacular gains achieved in Africa helped generate a strong decline in global measles deaths, which fell 68 percent worldwide -- from an estimated 757,000 to 242,000 -- during this period. The progress was announced today by the founding partners of the Measles Initiative: the American Red Cross, UNICEF, the United Nations Foundation, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The data will be published in the November 30th editions of WHO's Weekl...