Measles death toll nears 1,000

Three more people died with symptoms of measles across Bangladesh in the past 24 hours, bringing the combined death toll from confirmed measles cases and suspected measles cases to 994 this year.

According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) regular health bulletin issued on Sunday (September 6), 100 people have died from confirmed measles, while another 894 have died after developing symptoms associated with the disease.

The bulletin said one person each died in the Chattogram, Khulna and Sylhet divisions between 8am Saturday and 8am Sunday.

During the same period, 1,043 new patients with measles-like symptoms sought treatment at hospitals across the country, with 954 of them admitted.

Division-wise, 319 patients were admitted in Dhaka, 23 in Rajshahi, 112 in Sylhet, 238 in Chattogram, 116 in Barishal, 48 in Mymensingh, 85 in Khulna and 13 in Rangpur.

DGHS data show that a total of 144,168 patients with measles-like symptoms have been admitted to hospitals across Bangladesh so far this year. Of them, 138,772 have recovered and been discharged.

Since March 15, the number of suspected measles cases reported nationwide has reached 164,148. Of these, 19,696 cases have been confirmed as measles.