Well being ministry information present kids aged six months to 5 years with suspected measles signs soared to six,476.
Printed On 5 Apr 2026
Bangladesh says it suspects measles has killed a minimum of 98 kids previously three weeks, official information present, with the capital, Dhaka, ramping up vaccination efforts within the worst affected areas.
Final week, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman directed two senior ministers to journey throughout the South Asian nation of 170 million individuals to evaluate the size of the disaster to assist coordinate a response.
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Knowledge from the Ministry of Well being and Household Welfare launched on Sunday confirmed that the variety of kids aged six months to 5 years previous with suspected measles signs soared to six,476.
“In contrast with previous years, the variety of affected kids is greater, and the dying toll is greater too,” Halimur Rashid, director at Communicable Illness Management, informed the AFP information company.
The biggest variety of suspected circumstances on file was in 2005 at 25,934, in line with World Well being Group (WHO) information. That quantity had considerably declined in succeeding years till this 12 months.
Rashid attributed the potential outbreak to “multifactorial causes, together with a scarcity of vaccines”.
The confirmed variety of measles circumstances amongst kids aged six months to 5 years stands at 826 with 16 deaths. Consultants mentioned in lots of circumstances, testing is both not completed or sufferers die earlier than testing might be carried out.
Measles is without doubt one of the world’s most contagious illnesses, in line with the WHO, and is transmitted when an individual coughs or sneezes. Whereas the illness can have an effect on an individual of any age, it’s commonest amongst kids and might trigger issues, together with mind swelling and extreme respiratory issues.
The WHO estimated as many as 95,000 measles deaths happen globally yearly, principally amongst unvaccinated or undervaccinated kids beneath the age of 5, in line with its newest statistics.
There is no such thing as a particular remedy for measles as soon as caught.
Bangladesh has made important developments in vaccinations to sort out infectious illnesses, however a measles drive due in June 2024 was delayed by a lethal rebellion that very same 12 months that toppled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Most Bangladeshi kids obtain a vaccine at 9 months though many contaminated within the latest outbreak had been six months previous, officers mentioned.
“We dedicated to decreasing the quantity to zero by December 2025 however failed to realize the goal because of poor vaccination programmes,” mentioned Mahmudur Rahman, chief of the Nationwide Verification Committee of Measles and Rubella.
Dhaka has recognized 30 of essentially the most affected areas within the area and has began a vaccination programme. Well being Minister Sardar Shakhawat Hossain Bakul mentioned the vaccination drive will cowl the “worst affected areas” earlier than being expanded to different areas.
Tajul Islam A Bari, a former official on the Expanded Programme on Immunisation and a public well being knowledgeable, informed AFP that though funds had been allotted for vaccine purchases, authorities had failed to acquire them.
“Now we see the outcome. The state of affairs is frightening,” Bari mentioned.
