Health Desk — Bangladesh’s ongoing battle against measles continues to claim young lives, with two more children dying of measles-related symptoms within the last 24 hours.
Concurrently, the country recorded 833 new cases during the same period, signaling a persistent health threat to children nationwide.
According to the latest daily report released by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on Saturday, the two recent fatalities were reported from Dhaka and Sylhet divisions.
This brings the tragic cumulative death toll from measles and suspected measles symptoms to 731 children since March 15.
The 24-Hour Breakdown
The DGHS data, tracking cases from 8:00 AM Friday to 8:00 AM Saturday, reveals that out of the 833 newly affected children, 732 were admitted or treated with severe measles symptoms. Laboratory tests officially confirmed measles in another 101 children during these 24 hours.
Dedicated facilities, including the DNCC Hospital in Dhaka, are working around the clock to accommodate the steady influx of pediatric patients exhibiting high fever and characteristic skin rashes.
A Mounting Caseload Since March
The broader statistical picture presented by health authorities underscores the immense scale of the current outbreak. Since monitoring intensified on March 15:
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Total Casualties: Out of the 731 total fatalities, 638 children passed away showing clinical symptoms of measles, while 93 deaths were strictly confirmed through laboratory diagnoses.
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Massive Infection Toll: A staggering 1,17,219 children have fallen ill. This includes 1,04,693 symptomatic cases and 12,526 biochemically confirmed cases of measles.
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Hospitalization Rates: Hospital admissions have placed a heavy burden on the country’s healthcare infrastructure. A total of 87,966 children required hospitalization due to severe complications, while 84,218 have successfully recovered and been discharged so far.
Public health experts emphasize that measles is a highly contagious but vaccine-preventable viral disease.
With over 3,000 children still undergoing active treatment in hospital wards across the country, health officials urge parents to ensure their children receive timely Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccinations and to seek immediate medical intervention at the earliest onset of symptoms.