Measles Outbreak Claims Seven More Children in Bangladesh as Total Deaths Reach 766
Photo Collected
Bangladesh is grappling with an unprecedented surge in measles as health officials reported seven additional child deaths in the 24 hours ending Tuesday morning. According to the latest report from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the fatalities include one confirmed measles case and six children exhibiting symptoms of the disease.
The crisis has deepened across the country, with 990 new infections reported within the same period, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 122 for the day. Of the recent deaths, one occurred in Dhaka due to a confirmed measles infection, while four children in Dhaka and two in Sylhet died while displaying characteristic symptoms of the virus.
বিজ্ঞাপন
Since the outbreak began on March 15, the nation has recorded 766 deaths linked to measles, including 95 confirmed cases. During this period, health officials have documented 113,244 children presenting with symptoms and 13,735 confirmed cases. While 92,383 children have recovered and been discharged from hospitals, the heavy patient load persists, with 96,027 children hospitalized since the start of the outbreak.
Public health analysts attribute the severity of this year’s outbreak to a significant shortfall in immunization coverage during the previous interim government. UNICEF representative Rana Flowers stated in May that the agency had issued at least five formal warnings regarding potential vaccine shortages and held ten meetings with government officials. These concerns reportedly went unheeded as changes to the vaccine procurement process delayed critical shipments.
বিজ্ঞাপন
The current scale of the epidemic is unprecedented in Bangladesh’s recent history. Over the past 25 years, annual measles cases had never exceeded 50,000, and in 2024, only 247 cases were recorded with no reported deaths. The current surge marks a sharp reversal of previous progress.
Despite the introduction of a national MR vaccination program, significant gaps remain. Data indicates that approximately 40 million children missed measles vaccinations compared to the turnout for the national Vitamin A Plus campaign held in late June. While 18.4 million children aged 6 to 59 months were reached through the MR program, the Vitamin A campaign drew over 22.3 million participants in the same age demographic.
More than two months after the launch of the mass vaccination initiative, health authorities continue to register nearly 1,000 new infections daily. The persistent rate of transmission and ongoing mortality underscore the critical challenges in containment and the ongoing risk to the nation’s children.
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