Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known to humanity – and one of the most preventable. But the number of cases around the world nearly doubled last year, and the US, UK and others have seen measles outbreaks in 2024. Katya Adler asks BBC health reporter and doctor Smitha Mundasad about the dangers of measles, why vaccination rates have fallen, and what these outbreaks say about our vulnerability to other illnesses.

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This episode was made by Alice Aylett Roberts and Peter Goffin. The technical producer was Hannah Montgomery. The assistant editor is Sergi Forcada Freixas and the senior news editor is Sam Bonham.