80% of children vaccinated, measles outbreak still unabated

The death toll from confirmed measles and measles-like symptoms rose to 294 as ten more deaths were recorded in the country in 24 hours till 8 am today (3 May), according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Of the latest deaths, one was confirmed to be caused by measles, while the other nine were suspected cases. 

Among the suspected deaths, the highest number – four – was reported in Dhaka, bringing the total number of confirmed measles deaths to 50, with suspected deaths reaching 244 since March 15.

Till 8am today, 1,166 patients with symptoms were admitted to hospitals across the country. Of these, 95 cases were confirmed as measles through laboratory tests. 

DGHS data shows that between 15 March and 3 May, a total of 5,313 measles cases were confirmed through tests.

According to the latest health bulletin, 38,301 suspected measles cases have been identified nationwide. Of these 22,650 patients have already been discharged after providing treatment.

Meanwhile, Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain has claimed that more than 81% of children in the country have received the measles vaccine, while the government is working to achieve 100% coverage soon, reports UNB.

"We have achieved 81% coverage in measles vaccination. The remaining children will be brought under vaccination very soon," the minister said at a press briefing at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka after the second session of the Deputy Commissioners' Conference todayday.

Measles is currently under control in the country and the death rate has declined significantly, he claimed.

There is an adequate supply of vaccines and distribution across the country is running smoothly, the minister said.

A nationwide emergency measles-rubella vaccination campaign was launched on 20 April to vaccinate around 1.8 crore children aged 6 months to under 5 years across the country.

Besides, on April 5, the government, with support from UNICEF, WHO and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, launched an emergency vaccination campaign to protect more than 1.2 million children in 30 upazilas in 18 high-risk districts.

Meanwhile, as the measles outbreak remains unabated nationwide, two children died while undergoing treatments with measles-like symptoms at hospitals in Cumilla and Rangpur on Saturday, reports UNB. 

The deceased were nine-month-old Arosh, son of Abul Kalam of Tharapur village in Cumilla Sadar Dakhsin upazila, and 22-month-old Zakir, son of Sabuj Mia of Ulipur upazila in Kurigram. 

Arosh breathed his last around 8:30pm on Saturday while undergoing treatment at the measles isolation ward of Cumilla Medical College Hospital, said Prof Dr Meah Monjur Ahmed, head of the hospital's paediatrics department.
With the latest fatality, six children with measles-like symptoms have died in Cumilla so far.

On the other hand, Zakir was admitted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital with measles-like symptoms on the night of 30 April. 
 
He died at the hospital's paediatric isolation ward around 8pm on Saturday, said Dr ANM Tanvir Chowdhury, assistant professor of the paediatrics department, today morning. 

Sources at the Rangpur divisional health director's office said 49 new patients with measles-like symptoms were identified across the division in 24 hours until last morning.

Of them, some 30 individuals were admitted to Dinajpur General Hospital and 19 to Rangpur Medical College Hospital, according to the sources.