A significant increase in measles infections throughout Bangladesh has heightened anxiety among parents, as child fatalities rise and the outbreak extends to every district, media reports said on Friday.
At least 42 children have died of measles so far this year, though the toll could be 46 or higher when data from district and private hospitals are included, the Dhaka Tribune reported.
This situation has sparked concerns regarding safety in schools and daycare centers, media reports said.
According to the health services division, in March, there were 32 reported deaths, with four additional child fatalities in the past 24 hours and 685 new infections.
Health officials say the outbreak has now reached even remote upazilas, with hospitals struggling to cope.
At the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Mohakhali alone, 21 child deaths have been reported.
Doctors also noted a worrying trend: most infected children are under nine months old, an age group not yet covered by routine vaccination.
The rapid spread has led many parents to reconsider sending children to school or daycare.
A parent of a nursery student at a school in Banasree mentioned that they have temporarily halted sending their child to classes and plan to reevaluate the situation next week.
The school has introduced precautionary measures, but concerns remain.
According to reports, administrators said awareness programmes have been conducted and government health guidelines are being followed.
Public health experts have advised parents not to panic, noting that most school-going children are expected to be protected if fully vaccinated.
Under the national immunization schedule, children receive measles vaccines at nine and 15 months, providing strong protection against infection, the report said.
However, experts warned that children who missed vaccination remain vulnerable, and urged parents to isolate symptomatic cases and seek medical care promptly.
Dr Riaz Mubarak of Bangladesh Shishu Hospital said the situation is concerning, particularly due to infections among very young infants.
“We are seeing cases even in children as young as four months, which is unusual,” he said, adding that further research is needed to understand whether virus behaviour has changed. In 2025, around 44% of children were outside measles vaccine coverage.
The routine nationwide campaign, usually held every four years, was also not conducted that year.
To contain the spread, the government is launching an emergency vaccination drive targeting children aged six months to 10 years, significantly expanding the usual age range, the Dhaka tribune reported.
Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain said authorities are responding with urgency to control the outbreak.
Experts say that measles is a preventable disease, with vaccination as the most effective defence.
As infections continue to rise, restoring confidence in immunisation and ensuring timely vaccine coverage are now seen as critical to protecting children and easing growing public concern, it added.
