At least six more children have succumbed to the measles outbreak in Bangladesh, bringing the total number of confirmed and suspected deaths to 594 since March 15 this year. In May alone, the country recorded 309 deaths from measles and related symptoms. The latest fatalities, all suspected cases, were reported in the 24 hours leading up to Tuesday morning, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Reports indicate that while the number of confirmed deaths remains at 90, the total number of suspected deaths has risen to 504. The DGHS documented 1,292 suspected measles cases in the last 24 hours, pushing the overall tally of suspected cases to 73,362. Additionally, 42 new confirmed cases were reported during the same period, bringing the total to 9,136.
Despite the conclusion of the preliminary phase for a special measles-rubella vaccination drive on May 20, Bangladesh continues to grapple with an escalating measles outbreak. Daily cases have exceeded 1,000 per day throughout the last month, with only a few exceptions. The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) had warned the earlier interim government about vaccine shortages that could lead to a major health crisis.
UNICEF representative to Bangladesh, Rana Flowers, disclosed that the agency had repeatedly alerted the government about vaccine shortages since 2024. Flowers mentioned that Ted Chaiban, Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF, also raised concerns over vaccine shortages during a meeting with the Foreign Ministry in Bangladesh last year. The UN agency has pledged to provide evidence to support the investigation initiated by the current Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led government regarding the measles outbreak.
