Bangladesh has reported that suspected measles has killed at least 98 children over the past three weeks, as authorities intensify vaccination efforts in the worst-affected areas.
Official data released on Sunday showed that 6,476 children aged between six months and five years have presented with suspected measles symptoms, marking a sharp rise in cases.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had earlier directed two senior ministers to travel across the country to assess the scale of the crisis and coordinate a response.
According to Halimur Rashid, director at Communicable Disease Control, the outbreak is more severe than in previous years.
“Compared with past years, the number of affected children is higher, and the death toll is higher too,” he said.
While 826 cases have been officially confirmed, with 16 recorded deaths, experts warn that the actual toll may be higher due to limited testing and delays in diagnosis.
Data from the World Health Organization shows that the highest number of suspected measles cases previously recorded in the country was 25,934 in 2005, though figures had significantly declined in recent years until this resurgence.
Health officials attribute the outbreak to multiple factors, including vaccine shortages and disruptions to immunisation programmes.
Vaccination gaps blamed
Measles, one of the most contagious diseases globally, spreads through coughing and sneezing and primarily affects young children, sometimes leading to severe complications such as brain swelling and respiratory failure.
Although Bangladesh has made progress in immunisation, a planned measles vaccination campaign in June 2024 was delayed due to unrest that led to the removal of former leader Sheikh Hasina.
Most children in the country typically receive the vaccine at nine months, but officials noted that many recent cases involved infants as young as six months.
Mahmudur Rahman, head of the National Verification Committee of Measles and Rubella, acknowledged that the country failed to meet its target of eliminating measles by December 2025, citing weak vaccination efforts.
Authorities in Dhaka have identified 30 high-risk areas and have begun a targeted immunisation campaign.
Health Minister Sardar Shakhawat Hossain Bakul said the rollout would initially focus on the hardest-hit regions before expanding nationwide.
Public health expert Tajul Islam A Bari warned that despite allocated funds, delays in vaccine procurement worsened the situation.
“Now we see the result — the situation is scary,” he said.
The World Health Organization estimates that around 95,000 people—mostly unvaccinated children under five—die from measles globally each year.
There is currently no specific cure for measles once contracted, making vaccination the most effective form of prevention.