Progress toward global measles control and regional elimination, 1990-1997.

In 1989, the World Health Assembly resolved to reduce measles morbidity and mortality by 90% and 95%, respectively, by 1995, compared with disease burden during the prevaccine era. In 1990, the World Summit for Children adopted a goal of vaccinating 90% of children against measles by 2000. Regional measles-elimination goals have been established in the American Region (AMR) by 2000, the European Region (EUR) by 2007, and the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) by 2010. This report updates progress toward global measles control and regional elimination, and presents measles vaccination coverage and incidence for 1997 and WHO estimates of global measles morbidity and mortality in 1997 compared with the prevaccine era.