Bangladesh’s measles death toll nears grim 1,000-child mark

Since March, suspected and confirmed measles cases in Bangladesh have surged past 180,000, with the country's deadliest outbreak in decades nearing the grim milestone of 1,000 child deaths. The highly contagious disease, which has no specific treatment once caught, spreads through coughs and sneezes and can lead to brain swelling and severe breathing problems.

At Dhaka's Shishu Hospital, Rima Akter, a 30-year-old mother, keeps vigil beside her nine-month-old son Sabit Haque, one of the scores of children filling the measles wards. The hospital has admitted 101 children with suspected or confirmed measles, with more than one thousand suspected cases reported daily. Ayan, a six-month-old suffering from pneumonia and measles, spent 15 days in intensive care before recovering enough to move to a dedicated measles ward.

Doctors say many of the children admitted are already critically ill, often malnourished, which further weakens their ability to fight the virus. The outbreak has exposed gaps in Bangladesh's efforts to protect its youngest, with a mass vaccination drive underway but case numbers continuing to climb.