A nine-month-old child died of measles in Chuadanga on Friday morning, marking the district’s first death from the highly contagious but preventable disease.
The deceased is Humaira Khatun, daughter of Humayun Iqbal Ahmed of Nimtalapara in Dinnathpur village under Makhaldanga union in Sadar upazila.
The child was brought to Chuadanga Sadar Hospital in a critical condition in the morning and was declared dead by the on-duty doctor.
Dr Nazmus Shakib, acting Resident Medical Officer of the hospital, said this is the first confirmed measles-related death in the district.
He said the sample from the child, who was earlier hospitalised with measles symptoms, was sent to Dhaka for testing, which later confirmed measles infection.
According to hospital sources, Humaira was admitted to the paediatric ward on April 15 with measles symptoms and was later shifted to the isolation ward on April 19 as her condition worsened.
She was discharged on Thursday, but her condition deteriorated again, prompting her family to rush her to the hospital again on Friday morning.
Meanwhile, five more patients with measles symptoms are currently undergoing treatment at the hospital.
Hospital officials said around 50 patients in the district have so far received treatment for measles or measles-like symptoms.