7 more die of measles symptoms, total death toll reaches 1,009

Seven more people have died across the country with symptoms of measles in the past 24 hours. This information was revealed on Thursday in the regular report on measles by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

With this, 909 people have died from measles symptoms from 15 March to date, while 100 people have died from confirmed measles. In total, the death toll has reached 1,009.

The DGHS’s regular statistics do not provide age-wise data. Epidemiologists say that although measles can affect people of all ages, children are the most vulnerable. During an outbreak, all deaths occurring with measles symptoms are considered deaths from measles.

According to today's DGHS report, in the last 24 hours, 1,165 more people across the country were reported to have developed symptoms of measles. Since 15 March, the total number of patients showing measles symptoms stands at 168,745.

According to DGHS data, the number of confirmed measles cases detected in the last 24 hours is 29. Since March 15, a total of 19,933 patients in the country have been confirmed to have measles.

From 15 March to date, 148,505 patients have been admitted to hospitals with measles symptoms. Among them, 142,888 individuals have recovered and left the hospital.

The DGHS report stated that no one died from confirmed measles in the last 24 hours. Among the seven who died from measles symptoms, three were from Dhaka division and one each was from Sylhet, Rajshahi, Chattogram and Khulna divisions.

The disease, which had once become almost forgotten, has now claimed over a thousand lives. Public health experts consider neglect in administering measles vaccines during the tenure of the interim government in 2025 to be the primary reason behind this.

Public health expert Mushtuq Husain told Prothom Alo yesterday, "Negligence by the interim government is primarily responsible for the deterioration of the measles situation and what happens when work is carried out without being reliant on scientific data and without proper planning has been demonstrated by the current government. This, too, is neglect. Combined, the two have forced us to witness this agonizing situation."

Although the measles outbreak began at the start of the current year, it was not given due attention. From March, measles began spreading extensively. However, proper measures were not taken regarding treatment either. To control the situation, a mass vaccination drive was conducted throughout April and May but nearly 4 million children were left out even then.

Public health expert and former director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), Mahmudur Rahman, said on Monday, "To my knowledge, such high deaths from measles have never occurred in this country before, nor has there been such widespread infection. It is our misfortune that children have become the victims of this."

Although Bangladesh has risen to the top globally in measles infections this year, the picture was completely different in previous years. In 2025, 132 patients were detected, 247 in 2024, 282 in 2023 and 311 in 2022.

Public health expert Tajul Islam A. Bari said that this year, the highest number of measles infections among different countries occurred in Bangladesh. There is no prior record of such extensive measles infections and deaths. It is unprecedented.