• 98 Children suspected of measles deaths over three weeks
• Emergency vaccination campaign launched in hardest-hit areas to contain outbreak

Official data released on April 5 indicate that Bangladesh is investigating the deaths of at least 98 children over the past three weeks, suspected to be caused by measles, amid intensified vaccination efforts in the most affected regions.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman last week instructed two senior ministers to travel across the country, home to 170 million people, to assess the scale of the crisis and coordinate an appropriate response.

According to the Ministry of Health, the number of children between six months and five years showing suspected measles symptoms has risen to 6,467 cases, a significant increase compared with previous years, said Halimur Rashid, director of the communicable diseases unit.

The outbreak is linked to several factors, including vaccine shortages, although only 826 cases have been laboratory-confirmed, with 16 deaths reported. Experts note that many suspected cases are not tested before death.

Measles is highly contagious and can lead to severe complications such as brain swelling and acute respiratory problems, especially in children under five, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Bangladesh had previously made major progress in vaccination programs, but a planned June 2024 campaign was delayed due to political unrest that led to the ousting of Sheikh Hasina’s government, contributing to the surge in cases.

Authorities have announced that the new vaccination campaign has already started in 30 of the hardest-hit districts, with plans to expand nationwide. Health experts emphasized the urgent need to secure vaccines to prevent further child fatalities.

The WHO estimates that measles causes around 95,000 deaths worldwide each year, mostly among children under five who are unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated.