Measles outbreak overwhelms Bangladeshi hospitals as number of infected children grows

Measles outbreak overwhelms Bangladeshi hospitals as number of infected children grows
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An unprecedented measles outbreak is overwhelming Bangladeshi hospitals, doctors say, as they struggle to isolate and treat hundreds of children admitted every day with symptoms of the highly infectious disease.

According to Arab News, Bangladesh is battling its deadliest measles outbreak in recent history, following a disruption in its regular mass vaccination drive that should have taken place in 2024-25 — a period marked by political turmoil after student-led protests that ousted the previous administration.

The numbers of reported infections and related deaths have been rising since March 15, with more than 32,300 suspected measles cases and at least 259 children have died — according to Directorate General of Health Services data released on Sunday.

Since the beginning of the outbreak, around 1,000 people have been hospitalized every day — half of them in Dhaka, where patients are referred from other regions, which lack specialized infectious diseases care.

Measles is an airborne disease, which is especially dangerous for children under five years old. Proper isolation is one of the biggest logistical problems that hospitals are facing.