Bangladesh faces deadly measles surge as vaccination gaps widen

Email: online@newsofbahrain.com

Dhaka: Bangladesh is dealing with the world's greatest measles outbreak, with over 166,000 suspected cases and nearly 1,000 suspected and confirmed deaths reported since March 2026.

Childhood vaccine gaps, which resulted from disruptions to routine immunisation during the COVID-19 epidemic and political turmoil in 2024-25, have driven the spike. According to health officials, young children, especially those under the age of five, have been particularly vulnerable.

Hospitals around the country are trying to keep up with the increasing number of very unwell youngsters. Many people are getting complications such as pneumonia, diarrhoea, and encephalitis, putting further strain on an already overburdened hospital system.

Bangladesh has responded by launching an emergency vaccination program with collaboration from the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and Gavi. Nearly 20 million children have been vaccinated so far, but scientists warn that major immunity gaps still exist.

To avoid further spread, authorities are now working on increasing vaccination coverage and resuming routine immunisation services. According to health experts, further immunisation efforts will be critical to containing the outbreak.