Measles outbreak in Bangladesh causes 344 child deaths

Since March 15, an ongoing measles outbreak in Bangladesh has resulted in the deaths of 344 children, according to government health officials. Data from the Directorate General of Health Services indicates that 65 deaths were laboratory-confirmed as measles, while the remainder exhibited clinical symptoms of the disease. In the 24 hours leading up to Sunday, 11 additional child deaths were reported. As of the latest update, 49,159 children have presented symptoms since the start of the outbreak, with 34,909 hospitalized and over 30,000 subsequently discharged. Laboratory tests have officially confirmed 6,819 cases of measles, while 282 new cases were verified in the last 24 hours alone. To address the crisis, the government of Bangladesh launched an emergency vaccination campaign against measles and rubella in early April. This initiative is being supported by international organizations including UNICEF, the World Health Organization, and GAVI. The campaign aims to protect children from the highly infectious viral disease.