Six more children in Bangladesh have passed away from symptoms resembling measles within a 24-hour period, raising the death toll to 459. The Directorate General of Health Services confirmed one death as measles-related, while the other five were classified as suspected cases, as reported by the United News of Bangladesh. The total number of confirmed measles-related deaths has now reached 75, with suspected deaths standing at 384.
In the same 24-hour span, there were 1,274 suspected measles cases recorded, bringing the total cases during this period to 57,846 according to DGHS data. The report also mentioned that 243 new confirmed cases of measles were reported, bringing the total number of confirmed infections to 7,767.
Since March 15, a total of 42,092 suspected measles patients have been hospitalized, with 37,744 having recovered. The Daily Star reported that on Saturday, 12 more children died from measles and measles-like symptoms in Bangladesh. Among these deaths, four were confirmed measles cases, while the remaining eight children died with symptoms of the disease.
Health experts are urging the Bangladesh government to prioritize the ongoing measles vaccination campaign and establish “fever corners” at local health complexes to aid in early disease detection. This appeal was made during a joint press conference by the Bangladesh Lung Foundation and the Chest and Heart Association of Bangladesh in Dhaka.
Protesters in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi 27 area formed a human chain demanding the trial of the former interim government’s chief advisor Muhammad Yunus and his health advisor Nurjahan Begum over the measles-related deaths, along with compensation for the victims’ families. A recent report described the measles outbreak in Bangladesh, which has claimed over 400 lives since mid-March, as an “avoidable disaster” and called for accountability from the previous interim government led by Yunus.
