Bangladesh measles outbreak death toll climbs to 409 after 11 more fatalities

At least 11 more people have died from measles and measles-like symptoms in Bangladesh, pushing the total number of confirmed and suspected deaths linked to the outbreak to 409, according to local media reports citing official data.

The country’s Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said the latest fatalities were recorded in the 24 hours leading up to Sunday. Of the 11 deaths, four were from laboratory-confirmed measles cases, taking the total confirmed deaths since March 15 to 65. Another seven deaths linked to suspected infections pushed the suspected death toll to 344, Bangladeshi daily Dhaka Tribune reported.

The outbreak continues to spread rapidly across the country. In the past 24 hours alone, authorities recorded 1,503 suspected measles cases, taking the overall tally since 15 March to 49,159. Among them, 205 new cases were confirmed through testing, raising the number of confirmed infections to 6,819.

Officials said hospitals across Bangladesh have admitted 34,909 patients with measles symptoms since mid-March, putting severe pressure on the country’s public health infrastructure.

As the death toll crossed 400, criticism intensified over the handling of the health crisis by the previous interim government led by Muhammad Yunus.

An editorial published in The Daily Star described the outbreak as an “avoidable disaster” and accused the Yunus-led administration of dismantling a functioning vaccine procurement system without having the capacity to replace it.

“The country’s measles vaccination coverage rose steadily for two decades, becoming an international model for low-income countries. That record has now been squandered with shocking negligence by the past interim government,” the editorial stated.

According to the report, Bangladesh’s Health, Population and Nutrition Sector Programme — operational since 1998 — was scrapped in March 2025 without a proper transition plan.

The editorial further alleged that vaccine procurement stalled, medicine supplies to over 14,000 community clinics dwindled, and emergency buffer stocks were exhausted during the tenure of the interim administration, worsening the outbreak.

Calling for accountability, the report said: “The lack of accountability warrants a probe committee — one with the authority to establish individual responsibility. The deaths of children are tragic. Those who dismantled this programme must answer for each of these deaths.”

With IANS inputs