New Delhi, Sep 16:
Bangladesh is battling a severe measles outbreak that has killed more than 1,000 people since mid-March, with the crisis exposing gaps in immunity after years of declining routine vaccination coverage and disruptions to immunisation services.
A report by Al Jazeera, citing Bangladesh Health Ministry data, said 1,009 deaths had been recorded as of September 9. Of these, 100 were laboratory-confirmed measles deaths, while 909 were classified as suspected measles fatalities.
The authorities have stepped up emergency vaccination efforts to contain the outbreak. As part of a campaign launched in April, 19.75 million children have been vaccinated, surpassing the initial target of around 18 million children aged six months to under five years. The scale of the outbreak has highlighted the importance of restoring routine immunisation coverage and closing immunity gaps among vulnerable children.