Daijiworld Media Network - Dhaka
Dhaka, May 18: Bangladesh is facing an escalating public health emergency as six more children reportedly died from measles and measles-like symptoms within 24 hours, pushing the overall death toll to 459, according to local media reports citing health authorities.
Data released by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) showed that one of the latest deaths was officially confirmed as measles-related, while five others were classified as suspected cases linked to the outbreak.
The outbreak has now resulted in 75 laboratory-confirmed measles deaths and 384 suspected fatalities nationwide.
Health officials also recorded 1,274 new suspected infections during the latest reporting period, taking the total number of suspected cases to nearly 58,000 since mid-March. Confirmed measles infections have crossed 7,700 after more than 240 additional cases were detected in the past 24 hours.
Hospitals across the country continue to face mounting pressure, with over 42,000 suspected patients admitted for treatment since March. Authorities said a majority of those hospitalised have since recovered.
Medical experts and public health organisations have urged the government to intensify vaccination drives and strengthen early detection systems to contain the spread of the disease. They have also recommended establishing dedicated “fever corners” at local healthcare centres to identify measles and pneumonia cases more quickly.
The worsening outbreak has triggered public anger and political criticism. Protesters in Dhaka recently staged demonstrations demanding accountability from officials linked to previous healthcare decisions, alleging failures in vaccine procurement and disease management.
Health advocates have described the outbreak as preventable and warned that delays in immunisation efforts and weakened public health infrastructure may have contributed significantly to the scale of the crisis.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation as the country struggles to contain one of its most severe measles outbreaks in recent years.