Despite rising concern over a recent surge in measles cases in Bangladesh, child health specialists have said the vast majority of patients are recovering, while deaths directly caused by the disease remain relatively low.
Experts said that around 99 percent of measles patients recover, with an overall death rate of about 0.8 percent. Most fatalities occur due to complications such as pneumonia rather than measles itself.
They also warned that pneumonia continues to be the leading cause of death among children under five in Bangladesh, accounting for an estimated 24,000 deaths annually-nearly 66 children every day.
12 more die of measles
The information was shared at a press conference titled "Measles-related Pneumonia: Opinions and Recommendations from Chest Disease Specialists" held on Friday at the Shaheed Abu Sayeed Convention Center in Shahbagh, Dhaka.
Pediatric specialist Professor Dr Ruhul Amin said vaccination coverage in the country has reached around 93 percent following the recent outbreak. He noted that while most measles patients recover, a small percentage develop severe complications, particularly pneumonia.
"About 95 percent of measles patients recover, while around 5 percent may die from pneumonia-related complications. However, only 0.8 percent die directly from measles," he said.
He added that pneumonia remains the most serious threat to child health in the country, largely linked to malnutrition and feeding practices. Lack of breastfeeding, reliance on powdered milk, and Vitamin A deficiency were identified as major contributing factors.
Another specialist, Professor Dr Abid Hossain Mollah, said malnutrition significantly worsens measles outcomes. He also warned that excessive antibiotic use has reduced treatment effectiveness in some cases.
"If oxygen support is provided in time, deaths from measles can be significantly reduced," he said, adding that pneumonia can become fatal in up to 80 percent of severe cases.
He cautioned that the situation should be closely monitored over the next few weeks, though he ruled out panic, noting that adenovirus infections are also contributing to pneumonia-like symptoms.
The keynote presentation was delivered by Professor Dr Ziaul Haque, who said measles was once largely controlled through vaccination but has re-emerged due to disruptions in immunisation programmes.
He said between March 15 and May 14 this year, more than 54,000 measles and measles-like cases were reported nationwide. During the same period, dozens of deaths were confirmed from measles, while additional deaths were recorded with similar symptoms.
He stressed that measles is highly contagious but said 99 percent of patients recover fully with proper care. He also noted the concurrent rise of chickenpox cases in several areas.
Experts at the event emphasised that no child death should be treated as an isolated incident, describing it as a national concern requiring coordinated response.
Health specialists recommended prioritising measles vaccination drives, setting up fever screening corners at all levels of healthcare facilities, and improving early detection in high-risk areas.
They also called for the distribution of standardised treatment guidelines approved by the World Health Organization to ensure uniform care across hospitals, including in remote regions.
Meanwhile, data from the Directorate General of Health Services showed that 12 more children died in the last 24 hours from measles-related causes. Of them, four were confirmed measles cases, while eight were classified as suspected measles-related deaths.
Since mid-March, authorities have recorded thousands of confirmed and suspected cases, with tens of thousands of patients treated and discharged from hospitals.
While specialists maintained that most cases are manageable with timely intervention, they reiterated that pneumonia prevention and improved child nutrition remain central to reducing overall child mortality in Bangladesh.
