Measles Outbreak Claims Six Children in Remote Bandarban Village
A suspected measles outbreak has claimed the lives of three children in the remote Lengtong Khumi Para village of Bandarban within the last 24 hours, raising the total death toll in the region to six this month. The latest fatalities, all residents of the isolated community situated on the slopes of Keokradong Mountain, exhibited symptoms including high fever, severe headaches, and rashes for approximately a week before succumbing to the illness.
Local community leader Shailung Khumi confirmed that two of the children died yesterday afternoon, while a third child passed away this afternoon while being transported to the hospital. These deaths follow the earlier losses of three other children from the same village, identified as 10-year-olds Khreipa Khumi and Freling Aung Khumi, along with 15-year-old Shaifra Khumi. The village, which consists of 26 families, remains in a precarious state with six additional patients still suffering from symptoms of the disease.
The geographical isolation of Lengtong Khumi Para, located 18 kilometers from the Ruma upazila headquarters, presents a significant barrier to emergency medical intervention. Reaching the village requires a strenuous trek from Boga Lake, as there are no motorized road connections. Local educator Thanku Khumi noted that the extreme poverty of the residents, coupled with the high cost of transportation and limited health literacy, has prevented families from seeking timely professional medical care for the afflicted children.
While local representatives, including Ruma Union Acting Chairman Ongsingnu Marma, maintain that six children have died from suspected measles across the union this month, official data remains conflicting. Medical officers at the Ruma Upazila Health Complex have reported a surge in measles-like illnesses over the past two weeks, with 14 children currently receiving inpatient treatment at the facility. However, hospital officials have stopped short of confirming the specific cause of the deaths in Lengtong Khumi Para, citing a lack of formal notification.
Bandarban Civil Surgeon Mohammad Shaheen Hossain Chowdhury acknowledged receiving reports regarding the two deaths from the district council but stated he had not been informed of the remaining patients in critical condition. Health authorities have urged families in the remote areas to transport symptomatic patients to the upazila hospital immediately for medical evaluation and treatment.
