KHULNA, Apr 5: The number of children being hospitalised with measles symptoms is rising worrisome across all 10 districts of Khulna Division, with health officials confirming that 300 children have so far been admitted and two deaths recorded.
According to the Divisional Health Directorate, the situation has turned particularly alarming in Kushtia, Jashore and Khulna, which have emerged as major hotspots of the outbreak. Both fatalities were reported from Kushtia District.
Data available till Sunday noon show that Kushtia recorded the highest number of affected children, with 103 hospital admissions. Khulna reported 58 cases, Jashore, 59, Jhenaidah 18, Magura 17, Narail 12, Satkhira 16, while Bagerhat and Chuadanga each recorded 6 cases and Meherpur reported 4.
On Sunday alone, 56 new children were admitted to different hospitals across the division.
Of them, 13 were reported in Satkhira, 12 in Kushtia, 6 in Khulna, 5 each in Jashore, Magura and Narail, 3 each in Chuadanga and Jhenaidah, and 2 each in Bagerhat and Meherpur.
At Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH), admissions with measles symptoms have fluctuated over the past few days. Hospital sources said 11 children were admitted on April 1, 15 on April 2, 19 on April 3, 14 on April 4, and one patient on April 5.
Many patients have since been discharged after receiving treatment, leaving 15 children currently undergoing treatment at the facility.
Professor Dr Syeda Rukhsana Parveen, head of the Paediatrics Department at KMCH, said, measles is a highly contagious viral disease that spreads easily through coughing and sneezing. Children who are unvaccinated or suffering from malnutrition are particularly at risk, she added.
She noted that although infectious patients have not admitted in the hospital generally the severity of the current outbreak has prompted authorities to set up a dedicated isolation system within KMCH to accommodate affected children.
Calling for urgent government intervention, Dr Parveen stressed the need for a large-scale vaccination campaign to control the outbreak. She also pointed out that managing the situation is becoming increasingly difficult, as the hospital is already overwhelmed-treating over 200 children against a capacity of only 48 beds.
