Health Desk – A devastating surge in measles and measles-related symptoms has claimed the lives of six more children across Bangladesh in the last 24 hours, with the Mymensingh division emerging as the hardest-hit region.
According to the latest daily report released by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on Saturday, four of the newly reported fatalities occurred in Mymensingh, while Dhaka and Khulna recorded one death each.
Over the same 24-hour period, 789 children were newly affected by the illness or its symptoms, with 45 cases officially confirmed as measles.
A Growing Health Crisis
The latest casualties push the total death toll from the ongoing outbreak to 708 since March 15 of this year.
Health data reveals a worrying trend, showing that while 93 deaths have been laboratory-confirmed as measles, an alarming 615 children died showing severe symptoms of the highly contagious viral disease before official confirmation could be logged.
During this period, the epidemic has placed immense pressure on the country’s healthcare infrastructure. A total of 22,442 children have required hospitalization due to severe symptoms, though medical facilities have successfully treated and discharged 19,018 patients so far.
Long-term Outbreak Data
The scale of the current outbreak is reflected in the cumulative data compiled by health authorities over the last three and a half months:
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Total Affected Children: 109,860 (including 98,266 symptomatic cases and 11,594 confirmed measles cases)
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Total Confirmed Cases: 11,594
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Total Recoveries: 78,287
Public health experts are urging parents to remain vigilant and ensure their children receive the Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine, emphasizing that early detection of symptoms—such as high fever, cough, runny nose, and distinct skin rashes—is critical to preventing further fatalities.
The DGHS is continuously monitoring the situation, particularly in high-risk zones like Mymensingh, to curb the transmission rate.