WHO report links over half of measles deaths in Bangladesh to children below vaccination age
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The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that 51 percent of measles fatalities involve children who had not yet reached the age eligible for vaccination, highlighting a critical gap in immunity among infants. The global health agency further noted that despite a nationwide immunization campaign, the current infection rate remains higher than pre-outbreak levels.
In its latest weekly epidemiological report, which incorporates data through August 9, the WHO assessed the ongoing measles outbreak alongside trends in dengue, diarrhea, and respiratory illnesses. The data reveals that 90 percent of those who died from measles were unvaccinated, while 7.9 percent had received one dose and 2.19 percent had received two doses. According to standard protocols, the first dose of the measles vaccine is administered at nine months, with the second dose at 15 months.
According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), four additional deaths were recorded on Friday among patients exhibiting symptoms of the disease. This brings the total toll for the current year to 894, including 795 deaths linked to measles symptoms and 99 confirmed cases. This mortality rate marks an unprecedented surge in the country’s recent history.
The outbreak, which began in early March, has since spread across all 64 districts. Despite daily reporting of fatalities, the DGHS has faced criticism from media outlets and public health experts for failing to release comprehensive data regarding age-specific infection rates, the vaccination status of the deceased, or the efficacy of the national campaign concluded on May 20. Concerns persist that the government has not conducted follow-up assessments to determine if the immunized population has developed sufficient protective antibodies.
WHO statistics indicate that children under five account for 94 percent of all measles-related deaths. The data further emphasizes that 20 percent of those who died were under six months old, and 31 percent were between six and nine months old, underscoring the high vulnerability of infants who are ineligible for the standard nine-month vaccination window.
Analysis of 53,279 reported cases shows that while the national vaccination campaign reduced the proportion of infections in children under five—from 72 percent before the campaign to 58 percent afterward—the virus continues to affect older populations, with 11 percent of cases occurring in individuals over 15 years old.
Public health experts, including former DGHS disease control director Professor Be-Nazir Ahmed, are calling for an immediate national policy review. Ahmed noted that the emergence of measles in infants younger than six months suggests that maternal antibodies may not be providing expected protection, warranting urgent research to determine the optimal age for immunization and whether the vaccination age threshold should be lowered or adjusted.
“We are seeing measles in newborns and children under six months, which indicates that they are not receiving the necessary antibodies from their mothers,” Ahmed said. “We need research-based strategies to address these gaps immediately, or we risk deepening this crisis.”
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