7 more children's deaths from measles: DGHS report

Measles is becoming a terribly infectious disease in Bangladesh.

At least 251 children have died from measles and measles-like symptoms in the country since 15 March, according to official data.

Eleven more children died in the 24 hours until 8:00am on Saturday, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said.

The DGHS reported 209 suspected deaths from measles alongside 42 confirmed during the period.

During the same period, there were 229 confirmed measles cases.

Besides, 1,058 suspected cases were reported across the country.

Health officials said that the ‘suspected’ cases lack a lab-tested confirmation.

The DGHS reported that a total of 20,475 suspected patients have been hospitalised so far, with 17,081 of them recovering.

Starting from 15 March, DGHS has recorded and notified fatalities related to measles under two categories, such as confirmed deaths from measles, and suspected deaths from measles, which means ‘measles symptoms were present, but the patient wasn’t tested in the lab’.

On Thursday, the National Immunisation Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) said in a statement that this reporting method is giving rise to confusion among the public and added that the ‘suspected’ cases must be counted as deaths from measles.