Bangladesh Measles Death Toll Crosses 650 After Four More Children Die

Dhaka — Four more children have died with measles-like symptoms in Bangladesh, raising the total number of confirmed and suspected measles-related deaths in the country to 652, local media reported.

The latest deaths were recorded in the 24-hour period until 8 a.m. Sunday and were identified as suspected measles fatalities, according to the Directorate General of Health Services.

With the latest fatalities, the number of suspected measles deaths has risen to 560, while laboratory-confirmed measles deaths remain unchanged at 92, United News of Bangladesh reported.

Bangladesh also reported 1,052 new suspected measles cases during the same 24-hour period, taking the total number of suspected cases to 85,951.

Health officials also confirmed 75 new laboratory-confirmed measles cases, raising the total number of confirmed infections to 10,323.

Since March 15, 70,579 patients with suspected measles have been admitted to hospitals across Bangladesh. Of them, 66,841 have recovered, according to DGHS data cited by United News of Bangladesh.

The severe outbreak continues to spread despite government claims that vaccination coverage has exceeded 100 percent of targeted children, raising concerns among immunization experts about vaccine effectiveness and possible gaps in coverage, the Dhaka Tribune reported.

More than a month after a nationwide emergency measles vaccination drive ended, hospitals across the country are still admitting more than 1,000 children a day with measles or measles-like symptoms, while deaths continue to rise.

Public health experts said the continued increase in cases is alarming, noting that vaccination coverage does not necessarily translate into protection unless children develop sufficient immunity.

“Measles transmission should decline significantly once vaccine coverage exceeds 90 per cent. If vaccination has truly reached the reported level, then infections should have fallen much more sharply by now,” the Dhaka Tribune quoted Be-Nazir Ahmed, former director of the government’s disease control branch, as saying.

Ahmed said official targets may not accurately reflect the actual number of eligible children.

“In some cases, coverage may appear to be 100 per cent on paper while thousands of children remain unvaccinated in reality,” he added. (Source: IANS)