172,717 new cases of leprosy were detected in 2024, across the world. But none were in Chile, which has eliminated the disease.
“After 30 years without a locally contracted case, Chile has been verified by the WHO for eliminating leprosy,” reports The Doomslayer.
The World Health Organization
congratulates Chile for becoming the first country in the Americas – and the second globally – to be officially verified as having eliminated leprosy disease.
Leprosy (Hansen disease) was historically recorded in Chile at the end of the 19th century on Easter Island. The disease was limited in mainland Chile, with sporadic introductions, contained through isolation and treatment measures…
Chile has not reported any locally acquired case of leprosy for more than 30 years, with the last locally acquired case detected in 1993. However, the disease [continued to be] monitored through mandatory reporting, surveillance, and clinical readiness across the health system.
Most of the world’s leprosy cases occur in southeast Asia — 124,295 cases of leprosy were detected in southeast Asia in 2024, out of a worldwide total of 172,717 cases. Most of the remaining cases were in Africa and South America. The number of global leprosy cases fell 5.5 percent from 2023 to 2024.
