Globally, the overall increase in measles vaccination coverage has been accompanied by a sharp decrease in the incidence of the disease.

In 1980, around 2,6 million deaths attributable to measles were reported each year worldwide. In 2001, WHO and UNICEF launched an immunization strategy that reduced the number of deaths by more than 80%⁹. In France, there were more than 500 cases per year before 000, and only 1980 to 40 cases in 45–2006¹⁰. However, since January 1, 2008, an epidemic has raged in France and Europe. In April 2011, 33 countries in Europe reported a sharp increase in measles cases. Since that date, according to the Institute for Public Health Surveillance, more than 14 cases of measles have been declared in mainland France, and there is probably an underreporting of cases500.

An epidemic also struck Quebec, which recorded some 750 cases in 2011, against one or two cases for previous years. This upsurge in cases is directly correlated with the drop in the number of people vaccinated.