Number of measles cases increasing in Sylhet

Measles infection is spreading at a large scale in Sylhet. Due to the increase in patient pressure, a unit of the city’s Shaheed Shamsuddin Ahmed Hospital has been made an isolation center since March 26. 30 patients have been admitted here in three days. Hospital sources said that 19 people are currently admitted to the hospital.

Resident Medical Officer of Shaheed Shamsuddin Ahmed Hospital Dr. Md. Mizanur Rahman said that 30 people were admitted here in three days since March 26. Of these, 14 have returned home. Three new patients were admitted on Sunday.

Deputy Director of MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital Dr. Mahbubur Rahman said that since it is a contagious disease, patients were initially isolated in Osmani and treated.

Due to the increase in patient pressure, unit number 4 of Shaheed Shamsuddin Ahmed Hospital has been declared an isolation center. This isolation center is where the treatment of measles patients in Sylhet is being carried out.

Public health experts warn that the situation could worsen if vaccination activities are not urgently identified and vaccination programs are not strengthened and medical management is not improved. At the same time, they see the fact that many children are infected even after getting vaccinated as a concern. Despite the recent outbreak of measles, there is no system to test samples for the disease in Sylhet. As a result, they have to completely rely on the capital Dhaka for diagnosis. Samples from different parts of the country are sent to the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Mohakhali, where measles tests are conducted in the only lab.
Sylhet Civil Surgeon Dr. Md. Nasir Uddin said that if specific symptoms of measles appear, blood samples of the patient are collected and sent to Dhaka. It takes at least seven days to get the final results. During this time, patients are kept in isolation and treated under close observation so that the infection does not spread.
Sunamganj Civil Surgeon Dr. Jasim Uddin said that there has not been a widespread outbreak in the district yet. The number of patients admitted to the hospital is normal. Only one person in Chhatak Upazila has been diagnosed with measles.