Measles toll climbs to 336 with 12 more child deaths in last 24 hours

Bangladesh has reported another sharp rise in measles-related fatalities, with 12 children dying within a 24-hour period up to 8am on Thursday, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

The latest deaths have taken the combined total of confirmed and suspected measles-related deaths to 336 nationwide.

Among the 12 newly reported deaths, only one has been officially confirmed as a measles case, while the remaining 11 are classified as suspected cases showing measles-like symptoms. With the latest confirmed fatality, the number of verified measles deaths has increased to 57. This confirmed death was reported from the Dhaka Division.

The 11 suspected deaths were spread across multiple regions of the country, reflecting the wide geographic spread of the outbreak. Five of these deaths were reported from the Dhaka Division, two from Rajshahi, and one death each from Khulna, Barishal, Sylhet, and Mymensingh divisions.

Alongside the rise in fatalities, new infections continue to grow rapidly. In the same 24-hour reporting period, health authorities recorded 286 new confirmed measles cases, raising the total confirmed caseload to 6,208. In addition, 1,238 new suspected cases were reported, bringing the total number of suspected infections to 45,498.

Health officials continue to monitor the situation as both confirmed and suspected cases remain high across the country, indicating ongoing transmission and widespread concern among public health authorities.