Bangladesh faces its worst measles outbreak on record, with 1,000 deaths since March

Bangladesh is experiencing its worst measles outbreak on record, with around 1,000 suspected and confirmed deaths since March, making it the world's largest current outbreak. Hospitals are overwhelmed by sick children amid vaccine shortages and ongoing transmission. The Health Ministry reports over 166,000 suspected cases, including 19,835 lab-confirmed infections, with more than 146,000 hospitalized. Experts attribute the crisis to disrupted routine immunization and vaccine supply during 2024-2025 political turmoil, leaving children vulnerable, especially infants under nine months. An emergency vaccination campaign has reached over 19.7 million children, but the health system is also strained by a concurrent dengue outbreak with 45,000 hospitalizations this year. Bangladesh had previously maintained high measles vaccination coverage near WHO-recommended levels for most of the past decade.