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Bangladesh Measles Toll Rises to 451 After 12 More Child Deaths

A switch from UNICEF procurement left dangerous vaccine gaps.

Overview

  • Health officials reported 12 more child deaths in a single day, lifting the confirmed and suspected measles toll to 451 with 111 new confirmed cases and more than 1,000 hospital admissions in the same period.
  • The epidemic now spans 58 of 64 districts with tens of thousands of suspected infections and over 21,000 hospitalizations, straining pediatric and infectious‑disease wards.
  • The outbreak began in January in Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar and then spread to crowded cities including Dhaka, prompting a WHO warning about cross‑border risk to India and Myanmar.
  • Routine coverage fell sharply after a September 2025 move from UNICEF‑facilitated buying to open tenders, with government data later showing about 59% of eligible children vaccinated in 2025 before those figures were taken down.
  • Doctors cite malnutrition and stalled vitamin A programs as factors worsening cases, while medical groups press for mass vaccination and fever‑screening corners and protesters in Dhaka demand accountability from former interim leaders.