Five more measles deaths reported in 24 hours

Five more people have died with measles symptoms in Bangladesh over the past 24 hours, while 1,210 patients with suspected or confirmed infections were admitted to hospitals, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) reported on Friday, as the protracted outbreak shows little sign of abating.

According to the latest DGHS bulletin, released on October 16, the fatalities comprised two in Chattogram Division and one each in Dhaka, Mymensingh and Barishal. Consequently, measles and measles-like illness have claimed 1,186 lives since March 15, including 104 confirmed deaths and 1,082 involving suspected infections. Furthermore, 1,164 suspected cases and 46 confirmed infections were recorded during the period, lifting the cumulative totals to 211,040 suspected cases and 22,972 confirmed infections.

Dhaka registered the highest number of new hospital admissions at 480, followed by Chattogram with 277, Sylhet with 136, Barishal with 108, Khulna with 107, Mymensingh with 70, Rajshahi with 25 and Rangpur with seven. Meanwhile, hospitals have admitted 187,615 patients with measles symptoms since March 15, of whom 180,002 have recovered and been discharged.

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In view of the highly contagious nature of the disease, health authorities continue to emphasise vaccination, early diagnosis and timely treatment as the principal means of curbing its spread.