Bangladesh Launches Measles Vaccination Campaign

Bangladesh launched a nationwide emergency vaccination campaign on Sunday to combat a severe measles outbreak that has killed at least 98 children in the past three weeks, according to health ministry data. The highly contagious disease has affected children primarily aged six months to five years, with suspected cases surging to more than 7,600 since mid-March across 56 of the country's 64 districts.

The outbreak, one of the worst in recent years, has hit hardest in northern and northwestern regions, including Rajshahi and areas near Rohingya refugee camps. Officials reported hundreds of new suspected cases daily, overwhelming hospitals and prompting urgent action. Confirmed cases stand at around 826, with laboratory tests linking at least 16 deaths directly to measles, though experts note that many fatalities occur before testing can be conducted, potentially understating the toll.

Health Minister Sardar Shakhawat Hossain Bakul announced the campaign would initially target 30 high-risk upazilas in 18 districts, aiming to immunize over 1.3 million children under the Expanded Programme on Immunisation. Healthcare workers have been deployed to reach vulnerable communities, with...