Bangladesh has launched an emergency vaccination campaign after a fast-spreading measles outbreak is suspected of killing more than 100 people, mostly children, in what may be the country's most lethal wave of the disease in recent history. The campaign, which began on Sunday, comes amid more than 7,500 suspected measles cases since 15 March, according to health ministry data.
More than 900 of these cases have been confirmed - a sharp increase from 2025, when just 125 measles cases were recorded over the entire year, local media report. While Bangladesh has long vaccinated children against the highly contagious disease, the recent outbreak has exposed gaps in its program, raising concern. Vaccines are foundational to child survival, said Rana Flowers, the Unicef representative in Bangladesh, calling the current measles outbreak a significant risk to thousands of vulnerable children.
In Bangladesh, a nation of 170 million people, routine measles vaccines are administered to children starting at nine months old. However, Shahriar Sajjad, deputy director of the Health Department, noted that about one-third of those infected in the recent outbreak were under nine months old, emphasizing the alarming situation for infants who are not yet eligible for routine vaccination.
Bangladesh is conducting an emergency campaign targeting more than 1.2 million children aged six months to five years in 30 sub-districts. Special focus will be on Dhaka, the densely populated capital, and the crowded Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar. Along with vaccination drives, health officials are also disseminating information about measles prevention.
Measles is an airborne, highly contagious disease that can lead to severe complications and death. According to the WHO, measles can be prevented through vaccinations, but 95% of the population must be vaccinated to halt the disease's spread. Despite a significant drop in global measles cases and deaths over the past two decades, there has been a resurgence in various parts of the world due to declining vaccination rates, leading to outbreaks in Bangladesh and other nations.
More than 900 of these cases have been confirmed - a sharp increase from 2025, when just 125 measles cases were recorded over the entire year, local media report. While Bangladesh has long vaccinated children against the highly contagious disease, the recent outbreak has exposed gaps in its program, raising concern. Vaccines are foundational to child survival, said Rana Flowers, the Unicef representative in Bangladesh, calling the current measles outbreak a significant risk to thousands of vulnerable children.
In Bangladesh, a nation of 170 million people, routine measles vaccines are administered to children starting at nine months old. However, Shahriar Sajjad, deputy director of the Health Department, noted that about one-third of those infected in the recent outbreak were under nine months old, emphasizing the alarming situation for infants who are not yet eligible for routine vaccination.
Bangladesh is conducting an emergency campaign targeting more than 1.2 million children aged six months to five years in 30 sub-districts. Special focus will be on Dhaka, the densely populated capital, and the crowded Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar. Along with vaccination drives, health officials are also disseminating information about measles prevention.
Measles is an airborne, highly contagious disease that can lead to severe complications and death. According to the WHO, measles can be prevented through vaccinations, but 95% of the population must be vaccinated to halt the disease's spread. Despite a significant drop in global measles cases and deaths over the past two decades, there has been a resurgence in various parts of the world due to declining vaccination rates, leading to outbreaks in Bangladesh and other nations.
