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Bangladesh Measles Crisis: 1,000 Children Dead
5 Sep
Summary
- Nearly 1,000 children have died amid Bangladesh's worst measles outbreak.
- Over 180,000 suspected and confirmed cases reported as daily new cases exceed 1,000.
- Delayed vaccination campaigns and political instability exacerbated the crisis.
Bangladesh is confronting a devastating measles outbreak, the most severe in decades, which has claimed the lives of nearly 1,000 children. Current figures indicate over 180,000 suspected and confirmed cases, with more than 1,000 new suspected cases emerging each day. Hospitals, like Dhaka's Shishu Hospital, are struggling to cope with the influx of severely ill children, many arriving with respiratory issues and malnutrition.
The widespread outbreak has underscored critical weaknesses in Bangladesh's immunization strategy. Vaccination campaigns planned for 2024 and 2025 were disrupted by political instability, including an uprising that led to a change in prime minister and numerous strikes. This created a significant gap in childhood vaccinations.
In response, Bangladesh has initiated a mass vaccination drive to address the immunisation gaps and is enhancing hospital capacities. Meanwhile, a separate measles outbreak in Pennsylvania, United States, has also been reported, leading to one infant's death and concerning health officials about declining vaccination rates and rising vaccine hesitancy in the US.
