Nearly 1,000 people have died in what is being described as Bangladesh’s worst measles outbreak, with hospitals continuing to face a surge in patients, many of them children.
According to data from the Health Ministry, more than 166,000 suspected measles cases have been recorded since the outbreak began in March, including 19,835 laboratory-confirmed infections.
More than 146,000 patients have been hospitalized, while the death toll has reached 999.
Health officials and experts have linked the outbreak to disruptions and gaps in routine vaccination in 2024 and 2025, leaving many children without adequate protection against the disease.
The government launched a nationwide emergency vaccination campaign in April, with more than 19.7 million children vaccinated.
However, hospitals remain under pressure as the measles outbreak coincides with a rise in dengue cases.
Experts are calling for stronger routine immunization and catch-up vaccination programs to close existing vaccination gaps and help prevent further transmission of the disease.
(Photo Courtesy: Reuters )
