Measles Outbreak in Bangladesh Kills 1,000 Children

More than 1,000 children have died from a measles outbreak in Bangladesh since March, health officials said on Wednesday, acknowledging shortcomings in a vaccination campaign launched to contain the disease.

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said 1,002 children had died and 187,484 infections had been recorded, making the outbreak the deadliest in Bangladesh in decades.

Measles is highly contagious and spreads through coughs and sneezes. There is no specific treatment for the disease once a person becomes infected, while complications can include brain swelling and severe breathing problems.

Young children are particularly vulnerable to the disease, although measles can affect anyone.

The outbreak has continued to spread despite a nationwide vaccination campaign. DGHS spokesman Zahid Raihan said more than 18 million children had received vaccines, while health teams were continuing efforts to reach those who had missed the campaign.

Raihan said the vaccination drive had failed to achieve herd immunity, with official figures showing that about four million children were not covered.

He said the government would continue vaccinating children, adding that the goal was to reduce deaths from measles rather than eradicate the disease.

“Measles cannot be eradicated and the aim was to reduce casualties. We will keep vaccinating our children,” Raihan said.

Raihan also said containing the outbreak would require efforts beyond vaccination, particularly addressing chronic malnutrition among children, which can worsen the effects of the disease.

The measles outbreak is placing additional pressure on Bangladesh’s healthcare system as the country simultaneously deals with a rise in dengue cases.

Raihan said some hospitals that were designed to treat about 50 dengue patients were now handling as many as 500.

Health department data showed that nine people died from dengue on Tuesday, while 1,571 patients were admitted to hospitals.

Since January, Bangladesh has recorded 45,475 dengue cases and 130 deaths. The country recorded 321,017 dengue infections in 2023, its highest annual total.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to launch a three-month nationwide campaign to tackle dengue on Saturday.