Bangladesh on Monday recorded 17 more child deaths as the country grapples with the worst measles outbreak in recent memory.
This was the highest single-day death toll from measles and measles-like symptoms since the outbreak was first reported on March 15.
The latest fatalities push the total number of deaths to at least 311, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The DGHS announced that two children died of measles, while 15 others died with measles-like symptoms in 24 hours. The highest number of deaths was reported in Dhaka (11) and Chattogram (four) divisions.
Health authorities reported 154 new confirmed cases during the same period, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 5,467.
Meanwhile, some 1,302 new suspected cases were reported, bringing the total number of suspected cases to 45,800.
Patients from rural areas are traveling to the capital, Dhaka, for advanced treatment, including access to life-support facilities. The country is also facing a serious shortage of testing kits amid the nationwide outbreak.
The World Health Organization said last month that measles infections had spread to 58 of 64 districts – indicating “widespread transmission nationally.”
The Health Ministry has launched special vaccination campaigns. Since April, authorities have vaccinated more than 16.23 million children.
The outbreak has been linked to declining vaccination coverage, particularly due to a nationwide vaccine stockout between 2024 and 2025, the WHO said.
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that primarily affects children and can lead to severe complications, including pneumonia, brain inflammation and death, especially among malnourished or unvaccinated children.
It remains a leading cause of vaccine-preventable child mortality worldwide.
