Bangladesh Measles Outbreak Death Toll Rises to 409

DHAKA, Bangladesh — Bangladesh’s measles outbreak has killed at least 409 people since mid-March, after 11 more deaths were reported in the latest 24-hour period, according to local media reports citing health officials.

The Directorate General of Health Services said the latest deaths were recorded in the 24 hours leading up to Sunday. Four of the deaths were from confirmed measles cases, raising the confirmed death toll since March 15 to 65. Seven additional deaths were linked to suspected cases, bringing the number of suspected measles-related deaths to 344, the Dhaka Tribune reported.

Health officials also recorded 1,503 suspected measles patients during the same 24-hour period. Since March 15, Bangladesh has reported 49,159 suspected measles cases, including 6,819 confirmed cases. Hospitals have admitted 34,909 patients with measles symptoms during the outbreak, according to reports.

The outbreak has drawn criticism over Bangladesh’s vaccine procurement and public health preparedness. An editorial report in The Daily Star described the crisis as an “avoidable disaster” and called for accountability from the previous interim government led by Muhammad Yunus.

The report said Bangladesh had built a strong record on measles vaccination over two decades, becoming a model for low-income countries before recent policy decisions disrupted vaccine supplies.

“The country’s measles vaccination coverage rose steadily for two decades, becoming an international model for low-income countries. That record has now been squandered with shocking negligence by the past interim government,” The Daily Star editorial stated.

According to the report, Bangladesh’s Health, Population and Nutrition Sector Programme, which had been in place since 1998, was scrapped in March 2025 without an adequate exit strategy. It said stalled vaccine procurement, shrinking medicine supplies to more than 14,000 community clinics and depleted buffer stocks during the interim government’s tenure worsened the crisis.

“The lack of accountability warrants a probe committee—one with the authority to establish individual responsibility,” the report said. “The deaths of children are tragic. Those who dismantled this programme must answer for each of these deaths.” (Source: IANS)