United News of Bangladesh

One more child has died from measles-like symptoms in the 24 hours until 8:00am on Friday, raising Bangladesh’s combined tally of confirmed and suspected measles-related deaths to 643. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has categorised the latest death as suspected measles fatality, saying no confirmed measles deaths were recorded during the period. With the latest update, the number of suspected measles deaths has risen to 551, while the number of laboratory-confirmed measles deaths remains unchanged at 92. A total of 1,027 suspected measles cases were reported during the 24-hour period, taking the cumulative number of suspected cases nationwide to 84,266. Meanwhile, 126 new confirmed measles cases were recorded, bringing the total number of laboratory-confirmed infections to 10,185. Since March 15, a total of 68,934 patients with suspected measles have been hospitalised across the country, of whom 65,275 have recovered, according to DGHS data.

Eight more children have died from measles-like symptoms in  24 hours until 8:00am on Wednesday, raising Bangladesh’s combined tally of confirmed and suspected measles-related deaths to 639. According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the latest eight deaths have been classified as suspected measles fatalities. With the latest update, the number of suspected measles deaths has risen to 547, while the number of laboratory-confirmed measles deaths remains unchanged at 92. A total of 945 new suspected measles cases were reported during the 24-hour period, taking the cumulative number of suspected cases nationwide to 82,029. Meanwhile, 94 new confirmed measles cases were recorded, bringing the total number of laboratory-confirmed infections to 9,927. Since March 15, a total of 66,999 patients with suspected measles have been hospitalised across the country, of whom 63,145 have recovered, according to DGHS data.

An 18-month-old child has died with measles-like symptoms in Faridpur in the 24 hours till 8:00am on Friday, raising the number of such deaths in the district to 21. The deceased, identified as Tanha, daughter of Din Islam of Hasandia village in Boalmari upazila, was admitted to Faridpur Medical College Hospital on Thursday with symptoms consistent with measles. She died on the same day while undergoing treatment, hospital sources said. Faridpur Civil Surgeon Dr Mahmudul Hasan said 62 new patients with measles-like symptoms were admitted to different government hospitals across the district in the last 24 hours. During the period, 41 patients recovered and were discharged from hospitals, he added. According to the civil surgeon, a total of 178 patients suffering from measles-like symptoms are currently receiving treatment at hospitals in the district.

Seven more children died from measles and with related symptoms in 24 hours till Wednesday morning, raising the fatalities from the disease in Bangladesh to 601. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has classified the latest casualties as suspected. With the latest figure, the total number of suspected measles deaths has reached 511, while the confirmed deaths remained the same at 90, it added. A total of 1,210 suspected measles cases were recorded in 24 hours till Wednesday morning, taking the overall suspected cases to 74,572. During the same period, 55 new confirmed measles cases were reported, bringing the total number of confirmed infections to 9,191. Since March 15, a total of 60,158 suspected measles patients were hospitalised, of whom 55,942 have recovered, according to the DGHS data.    

Two more children undergoing treatment with measles-like symptoms have died in Faridpur, raising the death toll linked to the outbreak at Faridpur Medical College Hospital to 20, officials said on Tuesday at 8:00 am. Hospital sources said seven-month-old Ayan, son of Barkat from Chandipardi area of Muksudpur upazila in Gopalganj, was admitted to Faridpur Medical College Hospital on June 1 with symptoms consistent with measles. He later died while receiving treatment. In a separate incident, Adiba, the two-year-old daughter of Rafsan from Lakshipur area of Faridpur Sadar upazila, also died after being admitted to the hospital with similar symptoms. According to the Faridpur Civil Surgeon’s Office, 54 new patients were admitted to hospitals across the district in the past 24 hours. Currently, 190 patients are receiving treatment at government health facilities. Faridpur Civil Surgeon Dr. Mahmudul Hasan said the number of infections has increased somewhat as many people have returned to their village homes from different parts of the country during the Eid holidays. “However, we are hopeful that the situation will improve within the next one to one-and-a-half weeks and the number of patients will begin to decline,” he said. Urging parents to remain vigilant, he advised them to seek immediate medical attention if children develop symptoms of measles and ensure hospitalization when necessary. Dr. Hasan said health authorities have intensified awareness campaigns alongside vaccination efforts to contain the spread of the disease. He stressed the importance of ensuring that children receive the measles-rubella vaccine on schedule.

A child has died with symptoms consistent with measles in Sylhet in the past 24 hours till Friday morning, raising the death toll linked to the outbreak in the division to 58 this year. The information was confirmed on Friday morning by Dr Md Mahbubul Alam, director of the Sylhet divisional office of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). According to the divisional health office, the latest victim was a nine-month-old child named Arim from Chhatak upazila of Sunamganj district. The child died at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital. It said a total of 205 patients with measles-like symptoms are currently undergoing treatment at various hospitals across the Sylhet division. Although no new laboratory-confirmed measles cases were reported during the period, 18 suspected patients were admitted to different hospitals over the past 24 hours. According to the DGHS data, 165 laboratory-confirmed measles cases have been detected in the division between January 1 and May 29 this year. Of them, the highest number – 86 cases – was reported in Sunamganj district, followed by 42 in Sylhet, 21 in Habiganj and 16 in Moulvibazar.

Ten more children died from measles and similar symptoms in Bangladesh in 24 hours till 8:00 am on Tuesday, taking the total death toll to 555 since 15th March 2026. Of the new deaths, one was confirmed as measles-related while the remaining nine were classified as suspected, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Among the suspected deaths, the highest three were reported in Dhaka division. With these, the total number of confirmed deaths from measles has risen to 88 while suspected deaths have reached 467, it said. According to DGHS data, a total of 1,083suspected measles cases were recorded in the last 24 hours, taking the overall suspected cases to 66,023. During the same period, 53 new confirmed measles cases were reported, bringing the total number of confirmed infections to 8,772. Since March 15, a total of 52,530 suspected measles patients were hospitalised, of whom 48,800 have recovered. A nationwide emergency measles-rubella vaccination campaign was launched on April  aimed at addressing the ongoing outbreak. Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain inaugurated the vaccination campaign.  The initiative aims to vaccinate around 1.8 crore children aged 6 months to under 5 years across the country. On April 5, the government, with support from UNICEF, WHO and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, launched an emergency measles-rubella vaccination campaign to protect more than 1.2 million children aged 6 months to 5 years in 30 upazilas in 18 high-risk districts. On May 11, Health Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain said the measles situation is expected to come under control within four weeks as vaccinated people will develop immunity during this period. The number of patients has already started declining, he said while talking to reporters after visiting Barishal Sadar Hospital .  

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain on Monday said more than 2 crore children across the country have already been vaccinated against measles, surpassing the government’s initial target. “The measles vaccination campaign is still continuing despite exceeding the target,” he said while speaking to reporters at Cumilla Medical College Hospital in the morning. The minister visited the medical as well as Cumilla General Hospital. He stated that children are being vaccinated under both routine Expanded Programme on Immunzsation (EPI) and special outreach programme. Sakhawat Husain said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is working sincerely to prevent measles and assured that various problems in the country’s health sector will be resolved gradually. Sixteen children died from measles-like symptoms in Bangladesh in the 24 hours till 8:00am on Sunday, the 2nd-highest death toll in a single day since the outbreak in March last. With the latest fatalities, the death toll has reached 528 this year.

Three more children died in Sylhet showing symptoms of measles in the past 24 hours, raising the death toll in the division to 55. Of the deceased, one was from Doarabazar in Sunamganj (14 months old), one from Sylhet Sadar (8 months old) and one from Moulvibazar Sadar (4 months old). One of the children died at Dr Shahid Shamsuddin Ahmed Hospital in Sylhet, while two others died at MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, according to the latest report from the Sylhet Divisional Office of the Directorate General of Health Services. Officials said the total number of deaths from measles and measles-like symptoms in the Sylhet division has reached 55 as of Monday morning. Of these, four were confirmed measles deaths, while the rest were reported with similar symptoms. Sources said 58 new patients were admitted to various hospitals in Sylhet with measles or measles-like symptoms in the past 24 hours. A total of 270 patients are currently undergoing treatment in different hospitals in the division. Meanwhile, five more children tested positive for measles in laboratory tests in the past 24 hours in the division.

Sixteen children died from measles-like symptoms in Bangladesh in the 24 hours till 8:00am on Sunday – 2nd highest death toll in a single day since the outbreak in March last. With this, the country recorded the second highest single-day death toll for the second straight day. On Saturday, the country recorded 13 deaths from measles and similar symptoms. With the latest fatalities, the death toll has reached 528 since March 15, 2026. All 16 new deaths were classified as suspected, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Among the suspected deaths, the highest 10 were reported in Dhaka division. With this, the total number of suspected measles deaths has reached 442, while the confirmed deaths remained the same at 86. According to DGHS data, a total of 1,306 suspected measles cases were recorded in the last 24 hours, taking the overall suspected cases to 63,813. During the same period, 128 new confirmed measles cases were reported, bringing the total number of confirmed infections to 8,622. Since March 15, a total of 50,558 suspected measles patients were hospitalised, of whom 46, 214 have recovered. Earlier on May 4, the country recorded 17 deaths from measles and similar symptoms, the highest single-day toll since the outbreak of the highly contagious yet preventable disease.