Dhaka, June 8: The measles outbreak in Bangladesh continues to escalate. As of Sunday morning, seven Bangladeshi children died within 24 hours due to measles-like symptoms. This brings the total confirmed and suspected deaths in the country to 620.
According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the recent fatalities are categorized as suspected measles cases. The United News of Bangladesh (UNB) reported that with these latest deaths, the total number of deaths attributed to measles has reached 529, while confirmed deaths remain at 91.
In the past 24 hours, 1,221 suspected measles cases were reported, increasing the total to 79,012. During the same period, 66 new confirmed cases were identified, raising the total confirmed cases to 9,686. The DGHS noted that since March 15, 64,263 suspected patients have been hospitalized, with 60,084 recovering.
Local media indicated that last month, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned the previous interim government led by Muhammad Yunus about a potential health crisis due to vaccine shortages. This warning was communicated through multiple letters and meetings with health ministry officials.
At a press briefing in Dhaka, UNICEF representative Rana Flowers stated that the agency sent five to six letters to health authorities regarding this issue and raised it in ten meetings during the previous interim government.
According to The Daily Star, Flowers mentioned, “Since 2024, we have been warning the government that a vaccine shortage could lead to disease outbreaks. We sent letters and held ten different meetings indicating that this is a problem and that vaccine orders are necessary. They were unable to fulfill these orders.”
Flowers also noted that UNICEF’s Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban expressed concerns about the vaccine shortage during a meeting with the foreign ministry during his visit to Bangladesh last August.
He added that the UN agency would provide evidence to assist the current Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government in its investigation into the measles outbreak.
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