Measles outbreak claims 5 more children in 24 hours

At least five more children have died from measles-related symptoms across the country over the past 24 hours, alongside 243 newly confirmed cases, health authorities reported on Friday.

According to the latest daily update from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the recent fatalities occurred between 8:00 AM on Thursday and 8:00 AM on Friday. 

Four of these deaths were recorded in the Dhaka division, while the remaining one occurred in the Sylhet division. 

Since the current outbreak monitoring began on March 15, the disease has claimed the lives of 91 children with confirmed infections, while 514 others have died exhibiting suspected measles symptoms.

The transmission rate remains a major concern for public health officials. DGHS data indicates that 1,168 new suspected cases were identified nationwide within the last 24-hour window, pushing the total number of symptomatic patients to 76,876 since mid-March. Furthermore, the 243 newly confirmed infections bring the country's total verified measles cases to 9,503.

The ongoing health crisis has placed a significant burden on the national medical system. So far, 62,287 children have been admitted to hospitals with measles symptoms since the outbreak escalated. 

However, authorities noted a positive recovery trend, confirming that 58,154 of those patients have been successfully treated and discharged from healthcare facilities.