Measles outbreak in Bangladesh kills 309 in May, 594 since March

Bangladesh has experienced a sharp escalation in measles-related fatalities, with 309 deaths reported in May alone, according to official data from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). The alarming figure pushes the total number of deaths linked to measles and related complications to 594 since mid-March.

Health authorities said that six additional children died in the last 24 hours till 8am on Tuesday, further highlighting the continued severity of the outbreak. The DGHS has categorised the latest fatalities as “suspected” cases.

According to the updated health bulletin, suspected measles deaths now stand at 504, while confirmed deaths remain unchanged at 90. Officials noted that the classification reflects ongoing verification of clinical and laboratory reports.

The outbreak has also shown a significant rise in infections. In the 24-hour reporting period alone, 1,292 suspected cases were recorded, bringing the total number of suspected measles infections to 73,362 nationwide.

During the same period, 42 new confirmed infections were reported, increasing the total confirmed cases to 9,136.

Since 15 March, a total of 59,106 suspected measles patients have been admitted to hospitals across the country. Of them, 54,812 patients have recovered, according to DGHS data.

Health experts say the high number of suspected cases compared to confirmed ones reflects both the rapid spread of symptoms consistent with measles and the ongoing challenges in laboratory confirmation during large-scale outbreaks.

Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as the disease spreads across multiple regions, raising concerns over public health preparedness and vaccination coverage.