12 more families lose their children

Staff Correspondent

Dhaka: Twelve more children have died of measles and measles-related complications in the country, taking the total number of deaths due to measles-related complications to 336.

The Department of Health’s regular bulletin on measles on Thursday said that 12 people have died in the last 24 hours (till 8 am on Thursday). Of these, one was diagnosed with measles and the remaining 11 died with measles symptoms.

Overall situation (as of March 15)

• Measles detected: 6,208 people
• Patients admitted to hospital with measles symptoms: 45,498
• Deaths from measles: 57
• Deaths with measles symptoms: 279 people
• Total deaths: 336

In the division-wise death chart, Dhaka division was the worst-hit. 130 people died here with measles symptoms. 78 people died in Rajshahi division.

New infections and admissions in the last 24 hours

As of 8 am on Thursday, 286 people have been diagnosed with measles. During the same period, 1,238 people have come to the hospital with measles symptoms, of whom 1,027 have been admitted. The highest number of children with measles symptoms have been admitted to various hospitals in Dhaka—508. The lowest number of admissions has been in Rangpur division, with only 11 people.

The Department of Health said that although measles is primarily a disease of children, the infection has spread rapidly this time due to lack of vaccination or incomplete vaccination. Currently, measles outbreaks are ongoing in various districts of the country.

Health experts say that the death toll could rise further if two doses of the MR (measles-rubella) vaccine are not fully administered and infected children are not treated promptly. In this situation, parents have been urged to ensure that their children are vaccinated and to take them to the hospital quickly if they develop symptoms of measles.