At least six children in Bangladesh have succumbed to measles and related symptoms, bringing the total confirmed and suspected death toll to 317. The Directorate General of Health Services reported these fatalities within a 24-hour period. Among the six deaths, two patients tested positive for measles, while the remaining four passed away with symptoms.
The Dhaka division recorded two confirmed measles-related deaths, contributing to a total death toll of 54. Furthermore, four suspected measles deaths were reported, with two in the Sylhet division and one each in the Khulna and Rajshahi divisions. This brings the overall death toll to 263, as per The Daily Star.
During the same period, 259 new confirmed cases were identified, raising the total confirmed cases to 5,726. Additionally, the DGHS registered 1,186 new suspected cases in the past 24 hours, increasing the total suspected cases to 42,979.
Bangladesh faced its highest single-day death toll from measles recently, with 17 child fatalities reported in the preceding 24 hours. The outbreak, which has claimed over 300 children and infected more than 47,000 individuals, has been termed an “avoidable disaster.” The report highlighted the dismantling of a functional vaccine procurement system by the previous interim government, leading to the current crisis.
The Health, Population, and Nutrition Sector Programme in Bangladesh, operational since 1998, was terminated in March 2025 without a proper exit strategy. This decision, coupled with stalled vaccine procurement and medicine shortages at community clinics, exacerbated the situation. The report emphasized the need for accountability and a probe committee to investigate the responsible parties behind the program’s dismantling.
