The measles situation in Bangladesh has deteriorated further, with five more deaths reported among suspected measles patients in the past 24 hours.
This brings the combined total of suspected and confirmed measles-related deaths in the country to 878.
According to the daily health bulletin issued on Monday by Health Emergency Operation Centre and Control Room of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), these figures represent the situation from 8am on 9 August to 8am on 10 August.
During this 24-hour period, 992 new suspected measles cases were identified across the country.
With the five new deaths among suspected patients, the cumulative number of suspected cases since 15 March has risen to 137,312, while the suspected death toll has reached 780. No new confirmed measles deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours.
However, 163 new cases were laboratory-confirmed during this period. Cumulatively, the total number of confirmed measles cases since 15 March stands at 17,278, with the confirmed death toll at 98.
In terms of hospital admissions, 940 suspected and confirmed measles patients were hospitalised across the country in the last 24 hours, while 997 patients were discharged. Since 15 March, a total of 119,322 patients have been hospitalised due to measles, of whom 115,139 have been discharged.
Dhaka Division identified the highest number of suspected measles cases in the last 24 hours with 384 cases, followed by Chittagong Division with 252 cases, and Sylhet Division with 132 cases.
Out of the five suspected deaths in the last 24 hours, three were recorded in Dhaka Division and two in Sylhet Division. The remaining six divisions reported no suspected measles deaths during this period.
Cumulatively since 15 March, Dhaka Division has recorded the highest number of suspected measles cases at 60,526, of which 10,283 cases have been confirmed. The division has also registered 341 suspected deaths and 62 confirmed deaths.
In Chittagong Division, a total of 25,738 suspected cases have been identified, with 2,532 of these being confirmed. Chittagong has recorded 61 suspected deaths and 10 confirmed deaths.
On a positive note, DGHS stated that the national Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination campaign has exceeded its targeted coverage.
Divisional data shows that Chittagong achieved 110 per cent of its vaccination target, administering vaccines to 4,723,728 children against a target of 4,296,218.
Vaccination coverage in other divisions stood at 107 per cent in Dhaka, 109 per cent in Rangpur, 106 per cent in Rajshahi, 104 per cent in both Khulna and Mymensingh, 102 per cent in Barisal, and 101 per cent in Sylhet.
Among the city corporations, Gazipur recorded the highest vaccination coverage at 114 per cent. This was followed by Dhaka North City Corporation at 112 per cent, Chittagong and Rajshahi City Corporations at 110 per cent each, and Dhaka South City Corporation at 103 per cent.
Across 12 city corporations, a total of 2,047,747 children were vaccinated against a target of 1,905,950, representing an overall coverage of 107 per cent. However, Rangpur City Corporation fell short of its target, recording a coverage rate of 99 per cent.
