Bangladesh is facing a major measles (*) outbreak, with infections continuing to spread and the numbers of deaths and cases rising. According to the Dhaka Tribune, a total of 143 deaths have been linked to measles since 15 March 2026, of which 23 have been confirmed as caused by the disease. A recent report recorded more than 11,000 suspected cases and over 1,500 confirmed cases in less than a month since the outbreak began. This represents a remarkable increase compared with the 125 cases reported over the whole of 2025. The outbreak mainly affects children, who account for the majority of severe cases and deaths, and over 100 child deaths have been reported.

In Bangladesh, the measles vaccine is normally given from 9 months of age. However, according to reports, about 34% of recent infections have occurred in infants under 9 months old, who are not yet eligible for routine vaccination. Maternal antibodies provide passive immunity in early infancy, which can reduce vaccine effectiveness before that age. In response to these challenges, Bangladesh launched an emergency vaccination campaign on 5 April 2026 to curb the spread of infection and extended immunization to children from 6 months of age. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the plan aims to protect more than 1.2 million children, and is being implemented in cooperation with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Vaccine Alliance Gavi, alongside strengthened surveillance and outreach to high‑risk communities.

In addition to routine vaccination, Bangladesh usually conducts a nationwide measles vaccination campaign every four years, but no such campaign has been carried out since 2020. These disruptions are linked to the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent political instability surrounding the 2024 change of government, while procurement problems have contributed to vaccine shortages. Measles spreads rapidly in areas where vaccination coverage falls below recommended levels, increasing the risk of severe complications and death.

Global trends indicate a widespread resurgence of measles. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), deaths from measles have significantly decreased between 2000 and 2024 thanks to expanded vaccination, but cases began to rise again in 2024 in the Eastern Mediterranean, European, and South-East Asia regions. The African region recorded an overall decline compared with 2019, but country-level data show that several African nations are still experiencing large outbreaks. This resurgence is attributed to disruptions in routine immunization during the Covid-19 pandemic, gaps in vaccination coverage, vaccine hesitancy in certain groups, and obstacles to providing healthcare in conflict zones.

* Measles is highly contagious via airborne transmission and causes high fever, respiratory symptoms, and a characteristic rash. It can sometimes lead to severe or fatal complications, with infants at particularly high risk.

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Officials from the government of Bangladesh launching the emergency vaccination campaign (Photo: Press Information Department / Wikimedia Commons [Public domain])