Bangladesh Measles Outbreak Kills 100+ Kids, Emergency Shots Begin

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By HealthDay Staff HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on April 9, 2026.

via HealthDay

THURSDAY, April 9, 2026 — Officials in Bangladesh are scrambling to vaccinate young kids as a measles outbreak spreads quickly and has turned deadly.

More than 100 kids in the South Asian country have died in less than a month, as cases continue to rise.

Health officials have confirmed more than 900 measles cases among 7,500 suspected infections reported since March 15, The Associated Press reported.

The government is working with the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the Gavi vaccine alliance and has launched an emergency vaccination campaign. It is targeting kids who are 6 months to 5 years of age in 18 high-risk districts, with plans to roll out shots across the country in the coming weeks.

One official said the sharp rise in cases is concerning.

“This resurgence highlights critical immunity gaps, particularly among zero-dose and under-vaccinated children, while infections among infants under 9 months, who are not yet eligible for routine vaccination, are especially alarming,” Rana Flowers, UNICEF’s representative in Bangladesh, told The Associated Press.

Measles is a highly contagious virus that can cause fever, cough and a rash, and in severe cases, it can lead to complications or death, especially in young kids.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that about 95% of a population needs to be vaccinated to stop the virus from spreading.

The disease does not respect international borders. So far this year, 10 cases of measles have been reported among international visitors to the U.S., according to the CDC.

Bangladesh has made major progress in vaccination over the years, with vaccination increasing from 2% in 1979 to 81.6% today.

But recent disruptions like political changes and vaccine shortages have slowed progress.

The Associated Press reported that health minister Sardar Mohammed Sakhawat Husain said past governments failed to keep up with vaccine stockpiles, which contributed to the current outbreak.

Doctors are advising parents to seek medical care immediately if a child shows symptoms.

“They should avoid taking medicine from shopkeepers unnecessarily. If a child has a fever, especially high fever — 101, 102, 3, 4 (Fahrenheit, or higher than 38.3 Celsius) — they should not rely on medicine from local shops,” said F. A. Asma Khan, deputy director of the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

“Instead, they must take the child to a hospital as soon as possible, because our medical officers are capable of providing proper basic treatment,” she said.

Sources

  • The Associated Press, April 6, 2026

    • Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

    Source: HealthDay

    Posted : 2026-04-10 01:59

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