The key facts
- The number of measles-related deaths has reached 1,201, of which 104 are confirmed measles cases
- 1,307 new suspected and 35 confirmed cases were registered in one day
- More than 20 million children have been vaccinated since April under special programmes
The death toll from the measles outbreak keeps rising
The Directorate General of Health Services under the Ministry of Health of Bangladesh reported on Monday that the number of measles-related deaths has reached 1,201: in recent days five more children died from symptoms resembling measles. Of the total number of deaths, 104 cases have been confirmed as measles.
Scale of the outbreak
Over the reporting period, 1,307 new suspected cases of infection and 35 confirmed cases were registered. Since the outbreak was first reported in mid-March, suspected cases in the country have exceeded 214,000, while confirmed cases number more than 23,000.
Loss of herd immunity and vaccination
According to the authorities, Bangladesh historically had herd immunity to measles, but in recent years it lost it due to declining vaccination coverage. Since April, the Ministry of Health, in addition to routine immunisation, has vaccinated more than 20 million children under special programmes.
