Measles outbreak kills 336 children in Bangladesh since March

A measles outbreak has killed 336 children in Bangladesh since mid-March, including 12 deaths reported Thursday, as infections continue to spread across the country, according to official data.

The capital, Dhaka, recorded the highest number of deaths with 168 fatalities.

More than 1,524 new infections were reported Thursday, pushing the total number of cases above 51,700, according to the Directorate General of Health Services.

Health authorities said they have been unable to immediately confirm many infections because of a severe shortage of testing kits during the nationwide outbreak.

The World Health Organization said last month that the outbreak was linked to declining vaccination coverage, particularly following a nationwide vaccine shortage between 2024 and 2025.

In response, the Health Ministry launched special vaccination campaigns in April. Officials said more than 17 million children had been vaccinated by May 20 out of a target of 20 million.

Despite the campaign, infection and death rates have shown little sign of slowing.

Public health expert and epidemiologist Mushtuq Husain told Anadolu that immunity takes about a month to develop after vaccination and said herd immunity had weakened because of gaps in immunization coverage.

“The affected children need ICU, immediate oxygen support and what the government is failing to provide as required,” he said.

Husain called on authorities to arrange dedicated hospital beds in public and private facilities and declare a “health emergency.”

He said most affected children come from low-income families living in poor conditions and stressed that malnourished children require special nutritional care even before hospitalization to strengthen immunity.

Husain also advocated for temporary or field hospitals to cope with rising demand for treatment.

The epidemiologist, a former adviser to the government’s Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research, said the true scale of the outbreak was likely worse than official figures indicate.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain previously said the government was taking steps to contain the outbreak, including securing additional vaccine supplies.

Officials said 1.5 million doses of measles-rubella vaccine arrived in the country Thursday, with another 18 million doses expected by May 10.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that primarily affects children and can cause severe complications, including pneumonia, brain inflammation and death, particularly among malnourished or unvaccinated children. It remains one of the leading causes of vaccine-preventable child deaths worldwide.