Measles Cases Skyrocket in Bangladesh, More than 500 Children Dead

Illustration of patients being treated in a hospital (RS). (Anirudh-Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The measles outbreak in Bangladesh has killed more than 500 children as of Saturday, May 23 local time. This marks a spike in the disease that can actually be prevented in the country in recent decades.

Citing AFP, Sunday, May 24, hospitals in the capital Dhaka are overwhelmed by cases and have set up special wards to treat patients, but are struggling with a lack of intensive care beds.

The number of deaths from the measles outbreak continues to rise, with 13 children recorded dead in the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll from the disaster to 512, according to data from the Bangladesh Health Department since March 15.

The South Asian country has launched a mass vaccination program to combat the outbreak, and the head of UNICEF in Bangladesh, Rana Flowers, said this week the campaign had reached 18 million children.

However, the Bangladesh Health Department said the full impact of the vaccination would only be felt after a few months.

UNICEF said Wednesday this week that the immunization process has been disrupted since the 2024 uprising that ousted the country's autocratic government.

Measles is known to be highly contagious, spread through coughing and sneezing, and there is no specific treatment after infection.

Complications can include brain swelling and severe breathing problems. Although the disease can strike anyone, it is most common in children.

Health officials say the children most affected are often malnourished and come from low-income families.

This includes children who miss routine vaccinations or have weak immunity due to poor nutrition, or both.