Bangladesh has recorded 202,000 suspected measles cases and 1,147 deaths since a nationwide outbreak began in mid-March, according to data released up to October 9 by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Outbreak Toll and Falling Immunisation Rates in 2025
Children under five account for approximately 94 per cent of the reported fatalities in what the WHO described as the world’s worst measles outbreak this year. Out of the total caseload, about 22,000 infections are laboratory-confirmed.
The crisis follows a distinct drop in routine coverage. WHO and UNICEF estimates showed that Bangladesh achieved 96 per cent first-dose coverage and 93 per cent second-dose coverage in 2024. By 2025, however, first-dose coverage fell to 90 per cent and second-dose coverage dropped to 86 per cent, falling short of the roughly 95 per cent threshold needed to prevent sustained transmission.
Political unrest halted routine healthcare delivery
Political unrest in 2024 ended the 15-year rule of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, fracturing public services and halting routine healthcare delivery. Subsequent health worker strikes, vaccine order delays, and interrupted follow-up programs complicated immunization efforts across the country.
Data discrepancies further hampered the response. A joint WHO and UNICEF report published in July raised concerns about the reliability of official vaccination statistics for measles and other diseases between 2023 and 2025.
Ground Realities in Sylhet and Chhatak
In the northeastern Sylhet region, families faced severe barriers to timely medical care and vaccination. Amin Mia, a 26-year-old father, sold his three-wheeled auto-rickshaw to pay for hospital treatment for his two-year-old son, Arman Hossain, who died in July without having been vaccinated. Amin Mia stated that health workers reached their remote village only after he buried his child.
In the nearby town of Chhatak, Humayun Rashid lost his nine-month-old daughter, Labiba Akter, to measles in June. Despite an emergency campaign that lowered the eligible vaccination age from nine months to six months in April, no health worker visited the family to inform them about the program.
Infections surged despite emergency vaccination campaigns
Authorities launched an emergency vaccination campaign in April and May targeting nearly 20 million children aged six months to five years. Although officials initially reported that infections in hotspots dropped close to zero, cases surged again in September, with Bangladesh recording a daily average of 1,198 new infections.
A separate routine health intervention in June targeted approximately four million more children in the same age group than the measles emergency campaign.
Hospitals contend with a concurrent dengue epidemic
At the end of September, the government initiated a follow-up campaign targeting roughly 3.4 million missed children.
Measles Outbreak Questions Answered
How many measles cases and deaths has Bangladesh recorded?
As of October 9, Bangladesh recorded over 202,000 suspected measles cases, including 22,000 laboratory-confirmed infections, and at least 1,147 deaths.
What caused the decline in vaccination coverage?
Political unrest in 2024 ended the 15-year rule of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, leading to health worker strikes, delayed vaccine orders, and disrupted routine tracking systems.
Why did the emergency vaccination campaign miss children?
Authorities conducted only one round of preparedness assessments instead of four due to time constraints, and target lists omitted millions of children compared to separate routine health programs.
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