Dbarta24 Health Desk— Six more individuals have died from symptoms resembling measles across Bangladesh in the last 24 hours, pushing the overall fatality count from confirmed and suspected measles cases to 860 since mid-March, according to data released by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on Thursday.
Of the latest casualties, four deaths were reported in the Dhaka division, while two occurred in the Sylhet division.
Health authorities reported that between March 15 and August 6, 96 deaths were officially confirmed to be caused by measles, while 764 patients succumbed to measles-like symptoms.
Regional Breakdown of Casualties
The official statistics highlight a significant regional disparity in deaths linked to measles symptoms:
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Dhaka Division: Highest toll with 334 deaths
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Sylhet Division: 117 deaths
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Rajshahi Division: 91 deaths
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Mymensingh Division: 71 deaths
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Chattogram Division: 61 deaths
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Barishal Division: 45 deaths
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Khulna Division: 32 deaths
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Rangpur Division: 13 deaths
Surge in Hospitalizations and Case Counts
In the 24-hour period from Wednesday morning to Thursday morning, 733 patients sought treatment at various healthcare facilities nationwide due to measles symptoms. Among them, 645 individuals required hospital admission.
The highest number of new hospitalizations was recorded in Dhaka (227), followed closely by Chattogram (211). Other admissions included Sylhet (74), Barishal (56), Mymensingh (33), Khulna (18), Rajshahi (16), and Rangpur (10).
Furthermore, lab testing confirmed 85 new positive measles cases over the same 24-hour window, elevating the nationwide tally of confirmed cases to 16,740 since March 15.
Cumulative Health Response
Since the onset of the outbreak tracking on March 15, a total of 133,638 people have sought medical care for measles symptoms.
Out of these, 115,879 patients were admitted to hospitals, with 111,587 successfully recovering and receiving discharge.
Health officials continue to monitor hospital load and diagnostic testing to contain the further spread of the infection.