Bangladesh faces its worst measles crisis on record, with nearly 200,000 suspected cases and over 1,000 deaths, as vaccination disruptions and rising dengue cases strain the healthcare system.
Bangladesh is confronting its worst measles outbreak on record, with hospitals stretched by a surge of sick children and a wider strain on the health system as dengue cases also rise, Reuters reported. Health ministry data cited by Reuters said the outbreak, which began in March, had by then been linked to 999 suspected and confirmed measles-related deaths, more than 166,000 suspected cases and 19,835 laboratory-confirmed infections.
The World Health Organization has described the situation as a major outbreak driven by low population immunity, with most cases among children aged one to 14. In a separate update in April, the agency said many children had either not been vaccinated or had received only one dose, and warned that transmission remained active across several divisions. WHO also said Bangladesh had launched a nationwide vaccination campaign targeting children aged six to 59 months as officials sought to contain the spread.
According to Reuters, experts have tied the scale of the outbreak to missed routine immunisation during 2024 and 2025, when political upheaval and changes in procurement policy disrupted vaccine availability. Health Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain told parliament that procurement changes had triggered shortages, while the postponement of a vaccination programme in 2024 and the cancellation of a nationwide measles-rubella campaign the following year left more children exposed. The WHO and UNICEF have also pointed to interruptions in routine vaccination schedules.
The consequences have been most severe for young children. Reuters reported that under-fives made up about 80% of early cases, while WHO said 91% of cases were among children aged one to 14. The outbreak has hit families already struggling with poverty and access to care. In Dhaka, parents described moving from one hospital to another in search of beds, while doctors said overcrowding and shortages, including paediatric saline, were making treatment harder.
Bangladesh had made long progress towards measles elimination before the current crisis, maintaining vaccination coverage at or above the 95% level recommended by WHO for much of the past decade outside the pandemic period. But Professor Mahmudur Rahman, a former director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research, told Reuters that the country had missed its elimination target because of vaccination gaps in 2024 and 2025. He said the immediate task was to close immunity gaps, lift coverage and improve public awareness before the outbreak worsens further.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
