Over 500 children die in measles outbreak in Bangladesh

Over 500 children die in measles outbreak in Bangladesh
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A measles outbreak in Bangladesh has claimed lives of over 500 children in the deadliest surge there in decades, Al Jazeera reported.

The death toll continued to rise on Saturday, with 13 children passing away in the past 24 hours alone, increasing the total to 512, according to a health department tally that began on March 15.

Hospitals in the capital Dhaka, which have been overwhelmed with cases, have set up dedicated wards but lack sufficient numbers of intensive care beds.

Measles, which has no specific treatment once caught, is a highly contagious viral disease that spreads through coughs and sneezes.

The disease primarily affects children and can cause severe complications, including pneumonia, brain inflammation and death, particularly among malnourished or unvaccinated children.

It remains one of the leading causes of vaccine-preventable child deaths worldwide.

The South Asian nation of 175 million people has rolled out a mass vaccination drive to combat the outbreak.

UNICEF said on Wednesday that gaps in immunisation worsened during and after the chaos of the 2024 student-led uprising that toppled the government, leaving large numbers of children unprotected.