Bangladesh’s nationwide measles outbreak is unlikely to stabilize soon. The health experts say it. They apprehended that the outbreak may not come under control before June. Although a nationwide vaccination campaign has already begun, they say it will take several more weeks for vaccinated children to develop sufficient immunity.
According to data from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), a total of 55,611 people have been infected since the outbreak began on March 15. Among them, 7,416 cases have been confirmed as measles. More than 40,000 children have been hospitalized so far.
Authorities have also reported the deaths of 451 children, including 74 confirmed measles fatalities. The remaining deaths involved children who showed measles-like symptoms.
As of 8:00 am Friday, another 12 children had died across the country within the previous 24 hours. During the same period, nearly 1,200 new infections were recorded.
DGHS Director General Professor Dr. Provat Chandra Sarkar said the situation may begin to improve in early June. According to him, around 18 million children have already been vaccinated since the nationwide immunization campaign started on April 20. However, some children still remain outside the coverage area and efforts are underway to identify and vaccinate them.
Experts say measles is highly contagious, and vaccination does not provide immediate protection. Former IEDCR Director Professor Dr. Mahmudur Rahman explained that immunity generally begins developing three to four weeks after vaccination. As a result, the full impact of the immunization campaign will take time to become visible.
Doctors say post-measles pneumonia has now become the biggest concern. A large number of infected children are developing severe pneumonia, and many require intensive care support. However, the shortage of ICU facilities in government hospitals is worsening the crisis.
Public health expert Dr. Mostaq Hossain said most children are being brought to hospitals in critical condition. Due to delayed treatment, many deteriorate rapidly. He suggested bringing private hospital ICU facilities under government coordination to handle the growing demand.
Meanwhile, child specialist Professor Shafi Ahmed Moazz warned that the situation could become even more complicated with the upcoming dengue season. He noted that infection rates are especially high in rural areas, placing additional pressure on the healthcare system.
Experts believe the situation may worsen further unless vaccination coverage is expanded, treatment becomes more accessible, malnourished children receive special attention, and healthcare services are strengthened at the grassroots level. Still, they remain hopeful that if the ongoing vaccination campaign succeeds, measles infections will gradually begin to decline from June onward.