Bangladesh measles outbreak death toll among children crosses 800

DHAKA, Jul 22: The number of child deaths linked to measles and suspected measles infections in Bangladesh has surpassed 800, with health authorities reporting six more deaths in the past 24 hours.

According to data from the Health Ministry, a total of 803 children have died over the past four months due to confirmed measles cases and infections showing measles-like symptoms. Of the total fatalities, 95 deaths were medically confirmed as measles-related, the Directorate General of Health Services said in its latest bulletin.

Four of the newly reported deaths occurred in Dhaka district, while health authorities recorded 133 confirmed measles cases and 904 suspected infections during the same period.

The latest figures bring the number of confirmed measles infections in Bangladesh to 14,841, while suspected cases have reached 120,352 since mid-March.

The South Asian nation, home to around 175 million people, has been struggling to control the outbreak amid declining vaccination coverage.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, citing World Health Organization data, said Bangladesh recorded 42,174 confirmed or suspected measles cases between December and May, placing the country among those severely affected by the disease.

The WHO said Bangladesh had previously achieved herd immunity against measles but lost that protection in recent years due to falling vaccination rates.

The Health Ministry has vaccinated more than 18 million children since April 5 as part of efforts to contain the outbreak.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that primarily affects children and can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia, brain inflammation and death, especially among unvaccinated or malnourished children. It remains one of the leading causes of vaccine-preventable deaths worldwide.