Bangladesh Measles Crisis Deepens as Death Toll Reaches 560

Bangladesh is facing an alarming measles outbreak, with the nationwide death toll from measles and measles-like illnesses rising to 560, according to the latest data released by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).Health officials confirmed that five more children died within the past 24 hours, from Tuesday morning to Wednesday morning. During the same period, hospitals across the country admitted 1,056 patients suffering from measles-related symptoms.Laboratory tests confirmed 62 new measles infections among the newly admitted patients.DGHS statistics show that 88 children have died from confirmed measles infections so far this year. Additionally, 472 more children died after displaying symptoms similar to measles, though many of those cases were not laboratory confirmed.The outbreak has intensified rapidly over the past two months. From 15 March to 27 May, authorities confirmed 8,834 measles cases through laboratory testing. Overall, Bangladesh has recorded 67,079 suspected measles cases nationwide, while 49,903 patients have already recovered and been discharged after treatment.The situation in Dhaka remains particularly concerning. Hospitals, including the DNCC COVID-19 Dedicated Hospital in Mohakhali, are struggling to manage the growing number of infected children as fresh patients continue arriving daily from different parts of the country.Public health experts continue urging parents to vaccinate their children on time, warning that delays in immunisation could further worsen the crisis.