Labonnya Liza; Dhaka — Four more fatalities linked to measles symptoms were reported across Bangladesh in the 24 hours leading up to Friday morning, pushing the national death toll from suspected and confirmed cases close to the 900 mark.
According to a press release from the Health Emergency Operations Center and Control Room under the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), two of the latest deaths occurred in the Sylhet division, with one casualty reported in Dhaka and another in Chattogram.
Rising Toll and Regional Caseloads
DGHS data reveals that between March 15 and Friday morning (8:00 AM), a total of 795 people died from suspected measles across the country.
Laboratory testing has formally confirmed measles as the cause of death in 99 of these instances, bringing the combined national death toll to 894.
Over the same 24-hour window, authorities identified 972 new suspected measles cases nationwide, with 187 confirmed via laboratory testing.
Additionally, 886 patients were admitted to various hospitals, while 850 were discharged following treatment.
Since March 15, health authorities have recorded 141,048 suspected cases nationwide. Among them, laboratory tests confirmed 17,730 active infections.
Hospital admissions have reached 122,794 during this period, with 118,540 patients successfully recovering and returning home.
Dhaka division remains the hardest-hit region, accounting for 61,982 suspected cases and 10,464 laboratory-confirmed infections. The regional breakdown of suspected cases includes:
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Chattogram: 26,592 cases
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Barishal: 15,366 cases
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Rajshahi: 9,348 cases
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Khulna: 9,272 cases
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Sylhet: 9,173 cases
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Mymensingh: 6,758 cases
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Rangpur: 2,557 cases
Vaccination Campaign Exceeds Target Amid Ongoing Risk
The surge in cases continues despite a high-volume national immunization drive. Under the National Measles-Rubella Vaccination Campaign 2026, authorities initially targeted 18,015,064 children nationwide.
Latest health data shows that 19,326,894 children have received doses so far—exceeding the national target by 7.3% to reach a coverage rate of 107.3%.
Urban centers showed a similar trend. Across 12 city corporations, 2,050,825 children were vaccinated against a target of 1,905,950, achieving a coverage rate of 107.6%.
Despite these vaccination milestones, public health experts note that the ongoing detection of new cases and persistent fatalities highlight a remaining risk of transmission that requires continued vigilance and monitoring.