In 2008, measles claimed an estimated 164,000 lives — 450 each day. It is a highly contagious disease and even healthy and well nourished children, if unvaccinated, are at risk of measles and its severe health complications, such as pneumonia, diarrhea and encephalitis. In vulnerable populations such as undernourished children, the disease becomes deadly which is why the vast majority of measles deaths occur in developing countries.
