Measles death toll reaches 849

Bangladesh’s combined death toll from confirmed and suspected measles cases has risen to 849 after two more children died with measles-like symptoms in the 24 hours to 8:00am on Tuesday, according to the Directorate General of Health Services.

The DGHS classified both deaths as suspected measles fatalities.

The latest deaths raised the number of suspected measles-related fatalities to 753, while the confirmed death toll remained unchanged at 96.

During the same reporting period, health authorities recorded 896 new suspected cases, taking the cumulative number of suspected measles infections to 131,946.

Laboratory tests confirmed another 123 infections, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 16,531.

DGHS data showed that 114,393 patients with suspected measles had been admitted to hospitals across the country since March 15.

Of them, 110,187 have recovered.
The outbreak began intensifying in March. Bangladesh formally notified the World Health Organization of the nationwide surge on April 4, when infections had already spread to 58 of the country’s 64 districts across all eight divisions. Children under five accounted for 79 percent of the cases reported during the early stage of the outbreak.

The WHO linked the resurgence to gaps in routine immunisation, a nationwide shortage of measles-rubella vaccines during 2024 and 2025, and the absence of regular nationwide supplementary vaccination campaigns since 2020.

It assessed the public-health risk within Bangladesh as high.
Authorities launched a targeted measles-rubella vaccination campaign for children aged six to 59 months in 30 upazilas of 18 priority districts on April 5, followed by a nationwide campaign later that month. Rapid-response teams were also activated, while hospitals strengthened surveillance, isolation and case-management measures.