The ongoing measles outbreak in Bangladesh has reached a grim milestone, with the total death toll surpassing 800 as of Wednesday.
According to the latest data from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the country has recorded 803 fatalities linked to the disease since mid-March.
A bulletin issued by the Health Emergency Operation Center and Control Room of the DGHS said 708 of the deaths were suspected measles fatalities, while 95 were confirmed through laboratory tests between 15 March and 22 July, 2026.
Six suspected measles deaths were reported in the 24 hours ending at 8:00am on Wednesday, while no new laboratory-confirmed deaths were recorded during the period.
Dhaka and Sylhet divisions remain the worst-affected areas, accounting for a significant share of the reported deaths.
Dhaka Division recorded the highest number of casualties, with 307 suspected deaths and 59 confirmed fatalities. Sylhet Division followed with 105 suspected deaths and three confirmed cases.
The outbreak has also spread widely across other regions. Rajshahi Division reported 90 suspected deaths and 1,217 infections, while Chattogram Division recorded 56 suspected deaths and 10 confirmed fatalities.
The number of infections continues to rise, with 904 new suspected cases and 133 confirmed cases reported in the 24 hours until Wednesday morning.
Since the outbreak began on 15 March, Bangladesh has recorded 120,352 suspected measles cases and 14,841 confirmed infections, according to the DGHS data.
The growing caseload has put additional pressure on hospitals across the country. During the latest 24-hour period, 834 patients were admitted while 883 were discharged.
Since 15 March, a total of 103,078 measles patients have required hospitalisation, with 99,294 patients recovering and returning home.
