Bangladesh measles outbreak: Four more children die; toll rises to 280

Dhaka : Four more children have died with symptoms of measles, raising the death toll to 280 since March 15, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has announced, as the country continues to grapple with the disease.
Citing the data from DGHS, the local media reported that 170 new suspected measles cases were identified in a span of 24 hours until Friday, taking the total of suspected cases to 38,301 people.
The DGHS recorded 115 new confirmed measles cases during the same period, raising the total number of confirmed infection cases to 5,146.
Of the total fatalities since March 15, 49 were confirmed measles deaths, while 231 deaths reportedly occurred among suspected cases.
Of the newly identified 1,170 suspected cases, 942 individuals were hospitalised, while 893 were discharged, reports leading Bangladeshi daily, The Dhaka Tribune.
Last month, the World Health Organisation (WHO) called for urgent measures to control the ongoing measles outbreak in Bangladesh, warning that transmission of the disease is likely without enhanced surveillance, quicker response systems, and improved vaccination coverage.
WHO advised the Bangladeshi authorities to ensure at least 95 per cent coverage of both doses of the measles-containing vaccine across all municipalities, coupled with stronger integrated surveillance systems to quickly identify suspected cases in public and private healthcare facilities, Dhaka Tribune reported.
Recently, a report has highlighted that Bangladesh’s health sector, shaped over decades, risks being undone within years unless corrective steps are taken.
According to Bangladesh’s leading newspaper, ‘The Daily Star’, the current measles vaccine crisis in the South Asian nation is not merely an isolated disruption but reflects institutional weakening, with national vaccination coverage dropping to around 60 per cent in 2025 — the lowest in nearly a decade — from 85-92 per cent between 2010 and 2022.
“Bangladesh’s Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) has long been one of the country’s most celebrated public health successes. Built on sustained government commitment, strong development partnerships, and a vast network of frontline health workers, it delivered consistently high coverage and sharply reduced the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases. For years, it positioned the country as a model for the developing world. That model is now being undone,” the report detailed.

Amid the rising fatalities, experts have also urged the government to take urgent action, warning that failure to act could lead to a widespread measles outbreak, as one patient can infect 16 to 18 people.