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Five more children died from measles-like symptoms in the 24 hours ending at 8:00am on Thursday, raising Bangladesh’s combined tally of confirmed and suspected measles-related deaths to 724 this year.
According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), all five latest fatalities have been classified as suspected measles deaths.
With the latest update, the number of suspected measles deaths has increased to 631, while the number of laboratory-confirmed measles deaths remained unchanged at 93.
The DGHS also reported 965 new suspected measles cases during the reporting period, taking the nationwide total to 102,993.
Meanwhile, 154 new laboratory-confirmed infections were recorded, bringing the cumulative number of confirmed measles cases to 12,286.
Since March 15, a total of 86,411 patients with suspected measles have been hospitalised across the country. Of them, 82,759 have recovered, according to DGHS data.
Measles is one of the world’s most contagious viral diseases. It infects the nose, throat and lungs before spreading throughout the body. Common symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose and a widespread skin rash.
The disease also weakens the immune system, leaving patients vulnerable to secondary infections and serious complications such as pneumonia, respiratory and neurological disorders, diarrhoea, deafness, blindness and brain swelling (encephalitis), which can be life-threatening.
Although measles can affect people of all ages, children under the age of five are the most vulnerable to severe illness and complications.
