More than 500 children killed in measles outbreak in Bangladesh

A measles outbreak in Bangladesh has caused 512 child deaths, with 13 deaths reported in the past 24 hours. Most recorded cases involve children aged between six months and five years. Hospitals in Dhaka have set up dedicated wards but lack sufficient intensive care beds, and many arriving children are already critically ill. Measles spreads through coughs and sneezes and has no specific treatment once caught. The disease can lead to pneumonia, brain inflammation, and death, especially among malnourished or unvaccinated children. Bangladesh has launched a mass vaccination drive, reaching 18 million children, but full impact is expected to take months. Immunisation gaps worsened during and after the 2024 student-led uprising, leaving many children unprotected, though the government says the outbreak is contained and cases have declined in some areas.

"A measles outbreak in Bangladesh has killed more than 500 children in the deadliest surge there in decades. The death toll continued to rise on Saturday, with 13 children passing away in the past 24 hours alone, increasing the total to 512, according to a health department tally that began on March 15."

"Hospitals in the capital Dhaka, which have been overwhelmed with cases, have set up dedicated wards but lack sufficient numbers of intensive care beds. Doctors say many of the children arriving at hospitals were already critically ill."

"Measles, which has no specific treatment once caught, is a highly contagious viral disease that spreads through coughs and sneezes. The disease primarily affects children and can cause severe complications, including pneumonia, brain inflammation and death, particularly among malnourished or unvaccinated children."

"The South Asian nation of 175 million people has rolled out a mass vaccination drive to combat the outbreak. United Nations children's agency (UNICEF) country chief Rana Flowers said this week that the campaign has reached 18 million children. But the health department said the full impact of the vaccinations would take months to be felt."

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