Bangladesh Records More Than 1,000 New Measles Cases in 24 Hours

DHAKA, Aug 4: Two more children have died after developing measles-like symptoms, while Bangladesh reported more than 1,000 new suspected and confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, health authorities said Tuesday.

According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the total number of deaths linked to the measles outbreak has climbed to 849, including 96 medically confirmed fatalities since the outbreak began in mid-March.

The health authorities recorded 896 suspected cases and 123 laboratory-confirmed infections during the latest reporting period, bringing the cumulative figures to 131,946 suspected cases and 16,531 confirmed cases.

Bangladesh, home to around 175 million people, has become the country most affected by measles, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The agency said the country had previously achieved herd immunity against measles but lost that protection in recent years due to declining vaccination coverage.

The Health Ministry has launched a vaccination drive and has administered measles vaccines to more than 18.48 million children since April 5.

Measles remains one of the leading causes of vaccine-preventable deaths among children worldwide, particularly in areas where vaccination rates decline.

The outbreak has also placed a heavy economic burden on affected families, with nearly nine out of 10 households reporting that they borrowed money to cover treatment costs, while six out of 10 families said they had used up their savings, according to a joint assessment by the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

The assessment surveyed 2,746 families receiving treatment at 12 government medical colleges and district hospitals across Bangladesh and found that the financial impact extended beyond healthcare expenses.

Children aged four years or younger accounted for 75% of patients among the surveyed families. Among respondents who provided employment details, 78% depended on informal work, earning between 6,000 taka ($48.49) and 20,000 taka ($161.64) per month, making them especially vulnerable to income losses during prolonged illness.

“The effects of this measles health emergency do not end at the hospital door, as families often face difficult financial limitations while caring for sick children and other family members,” said Alberto Bocanegra, IFRC’s head of delegation in Bangladesh.

He stressed that humanitarian assistance and stronger social protection systems are essential to support communities affected by major health emergencies.