Five more children have died in Bangladesh in the past 24 hours due to measles and related symptoms, as the outbreak continues to strain an already stretched health system.
According to the Directorate General of Health Services, three of the deaths were confirmed measles cases, while two were linked to symptoms consistent with the disease. The fatalities occurred between 8 am April 16 and 8 am April 17, local time, reports Prothom Alo.
Hospitals across the country are operating on overdrive, with 1,115 children having been admitted with consistent symptoms of measles during the same period, out of which 127 cases are confirmed to be measles.
Dhaka division remained the hardest hit, accounting for the majority of infections and hospitalisations.
Two of the confirmed deaths were reported in Barguna district in Barisal division, while the remaining cases were concentrated in Dhaka.
Of those showing symptoms, 769 children required hospitalisation, while 747 were discharged after treatment, as the capital alone accounted for more than half of both admissions and confirmed infections, as the outbreak has become particularly high in urban areas.
Since March 15, the outbreak has taken a heavy toll on the country’s medical sector. At least 37 children have died from confirmed measles, while 174 deaths have been linked to measles-like symptoms.
More than 21,000 children have shown symptoms nationwide, with nearly 14,000 requiring hospital care.
The scale of the outbreak has been the result of a much deeper breakdown in the country’s immunisation system, with vaccination coverage dropping sharply from over 90% in 2023 to just 57% in 2025 — far below the 95% threshold needed to prevent widespread transmission.
The decline in vaccination occurred during the interim regime following the July Uprising in 2024, leading to mass interruptions in public health programmes and delayed funding, with all planned nationwide vaccination drives have also failing to materialise, including campaigns scheduled for 2024 and 2026.
Additionally, supply chain failures have left vaccine stocks depleted, limiting the ability of frontline health workers to respond. Even where funding existed, procurement delays meant doses did not reach clinics in time.
Other factors have compounded the spread. High population movement during a major holiday in March accelerated transmission across regions, while overcrowded refugee camps — particularly in Cox’s Bazar — have created pockets where vaccination coverage is low or unknown.
In response, authorities launched an emergency vaccination campaign on April 5 targeting 1.2 million children in high-risk areas, but with cases still rising and hospitals under pressure, the outbreak continues to strain Bangladesh’s already overloaded public health system.
