3 min readMay 22, 2026 12:45 PM IST
A measles outbreak in Bangladesh has killed over 488 people. In the past 24 hrs, more than seven children have died as the situation continues to worsen, says a report by the Dhaka Tribune. The report suggests that as per information provided by the Directorate General of Health, of the latest deaths, four deaths were classified as suspected measles-related fatalities while three deaths were confirmed by the laboratory.
Highest deaths in Chittagong, more than 50,000 suspected infections
According to Dhaka Tribune, Chittagong recorded the highest number of deaths among the affected areas as of21 May.
Since 15 March, the country has reported 405 suspected measles deaths, including 83 confirmed deaths. During the same period, 1,423 new suspected cases were recorded, taking the total number of suspected infections to 59,279.
A further 208 confirmed cases were identified, bringing the total number of confirmed infections to 8,275.
According to the latest report, 46,407 suspected measles patients have been admitted to hospital since 15 March, while 42,336 have been discharged after recovering.
‘Measles spread in 58 of 64 districts in Bangladesh’
As per a report by CBS News, hospitals are overwhelmed with patients forced to receive treatment on floors due to lack of facilities. The report says, majority of the infected patients are children who are either too young to be vaccinated or or were partially vaccinated.
UNICEF’s chief in Bangladesh for communication, Miguel Mateos Munoz told CBS News that the vaccine supply changes last year caused delays, and many children have received only one measles vaccine dose or none at all. He stressed that two doses are needed for full protection.
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While talking to CBS News, he warned that measles has spread rapidly across Bangladesh’s crowded cities and refugee camps. He said, “The disease has now been detected in 58 of the country’s 64 districts, so it is across most of the country, and this is a country with movements across porous borders to neighboring countries”
WHO evaluation survey says 88% vaccination against Measles-Rubella in Bangladesh
Bangladesh had set a target to eliminate measles and rubella by 2020. It achieved its rubella control goal in 2018 and has since developed an elimination action plan.
Due to the current outbreak of measles in the country, the government of Bangladesh launched an emergency vaccination programme in April to protect 1.2 million children aged between 6 months to 5 years across 18 high-risk districts.
The country introduced the measles-rubella (MR) vaccine in 2012 and added a second measles dose at 15 months as part of routine immunisation. In 2015, the second dose was also given as the MR vaccine.
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Bangladesh according to the Joint Reporting Form (JRF) has achieved more than 90% MR vaccination coverage but according to the coverage evaluation survey 2016, MR coverage was 88%, says the World Health Organization.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that measles anywhere can pose a threat everywhere, especially to populations with a vaccination coverage rate below 95%.
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