Most Deaths Reported in Dhaka Hospitals

Measles outbreak in Bangladesh is becoming increasingly deadly for children. Health data reveals that nearly 40% of infected children are dying within 48 hours of hospital admission. Read the full report on the rising child deaths, hospital crisis, and concerns from public health experts.

Rising Child Deaths From Measles

The rapid spread of measles across the country is putting young children at the highest risk, with health experts expressing growing concern over the worsening situation. An analysis conducted using data from the Management Information System (MIS) of the Directorate General of Health Services has revealed that nearly 40 percent of infected children are dying within 48 hours of being admitted to hospitals.

According to the analysis of 60 child death cases, many of the victims were only three to four months old. Alarmingly, measles infections were also confirmed in newborns aged just 19 and 24 days. Until recently, it was widely believed that newborns received temporary immunity against measles from their mothers and through breastfeeding. However, the current outbreak has challenged that assumption.

The latest 24-hour report from the health department’s Integrated Control Center stated that from Monday morning to Tuesday morning, six people died with measles symptoms, while three more deaths were confirmed through laboratory testing. This means nine deaths were recorded in a single day.

From March 15 until Tuesday, a total of 356 people died with measles-like symptoms, while 68 deaths were officially confirmed as measles cases. Public health experts believe all 424 deaths were related to the disease.

Infants Facing the Greatest Threat

Age-based data shows that 29 children aged between three and eight months died from measles. This indicates that nearly half of the deceased children were too young to receive the vaccine under the previous immunization schedule.

Another 21 deaths were recorded among children aged 9 to 15 months. Two children aged between 16 months and two years also died, along with seven children between the ages of two and five. In addition, the death of a nine-year-old girl from Chandpur was recorded at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

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Among the deceased children, 31 were boys and 29 were girls. However, health authorities do not have clear information on whether the children had received measles vaccinations.

Many Children Died Shortly After Admission

The data analysis also revealed a disturbing pattern regarding how quickly children died after hospitalization. Five children died on the same day they were admitted. Another nine died within one day, while nine more died within two days of admission.

In total, 24 children died within the first 48 hours of hospitalization, accounting for nearly 40 percent of all reported child deaths.

• On the other hand, 17 children died after spending 10 days or more in hospital care. One child died 37 days after being admitted.
• Dhaka Medical College Hospital recorded the highest number of child deaths, with 15 fatalities. Most of those children had been referred from districts outside the capital.

The Infectious Diseases Hospital reported the second-highest number of deaths. Among the 10 children who died there, six had been transferred from hospitals outside Dhaka. Among private facilities, Enam Medical College Hospital in Savar recorded the highest number of child deaths, with six fatalities.

Out of the 60 child death cases analyzed, 18 children were residents of Dhaka district, while 30 others had traveled from different districts to seek treatment in the capital. Altogether, 48 child deaths occurred in hospitals located in Dhaka.

Experts Concerned Over Missing Information

For the past two weeks, public health experts and journalists have been demanding the publication of complete data on measles-related deaths. However, the current MIS records still contain major gaps.

Important details such as whether the children had previously received treatment elsewhere, whether they were admitted to intensive care units, or whether they had been vaccinated remain unavailable.

Professor Benazir Ahmed, a public health expert and former director of the government’s disease control unit (CDC), described the absence of vaccination data as deeply disappointing.

According to him, at least 31 of the deceased children were old enough to receive the vaccine. Yet there is no clear record showing how many were vaccinated, whether they had completed both doses, or why vaccinated children may still have died.

He emphasized that without proper data collection and detailed analysis, understanding the real extent of the crisis would remain difficult. He also stressed the need for a thorough investigation into every child death linked to measles.