A nationwide surge in measles cases is putting severe pressure on hospitals in the capital, with patients being referred from multiple districts as the outbreak spreads across Bangladesh.
At the Mohakhali Infectious Diseases Hospital in Dhaka, emergency areas remain crowded while wards on the fourth and fifth floors are operating beyond capacity. Due to a shortage of beds, some patients are being treated on verandas and staircases.
Hospital officials said the facility continues to receive patients from Dhaka and other districts daily, as it serves as the final referral point for infectious disease cases.
“As this is the last referral point, we are not turning patients away. When wards are full, treatment is being provided on verandas and even floors,” said hospital Superintendent Dr AF Asma Khan.
On-duty nurses said patients are arriving from a range of public and private hospitals, further increasing pressure on the facility.
Public health experts have attributed the rise in infections to gaps in routine immunization coverage and rapid transmission in densely populated areas. They urged parents to ensure timely vaccination of children and to seek medical care promptly when symptoms appear.
Patients under treatment
An eight-month-old baby, Nusrat, has been receiving treatment on a hospital veranda for the past six days. Her father said she first developed fever on April 16 and was initially treated at a pharmacy before being admitted to Matuail Hospital. She was later referred to Dhaka after being diagnosed with measles. She is now suffering from pneumonia, breathing difficulties and a persistent fever of 103°F–104°F.
Another patient, 10-month-old Ima from Madaripur, was first treated at a local hospital after developing fever. Although her condition initially improved, symptoms later returned with convulsions. She was admitted to Mitford Hospital and diagnosed with measles on April 22 before being referred to Mohakhali. She is currently running a fever of up to 106°F and has developed oral sores.
DGHS data
According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), 11 children died in the last 24 hours from measles and related complications, while 1,287 new patients were admitted during the same period.
From March 15 to April 25, a total of 30,607 suspected cases were reported, of which 4,460 were confirmed as measles.
So far, 20,475 patients have been hospitalized, while 17,081 have recovered and returned home.
Since the beginning of the outbreak, 42 children have died from confirmed measles, while another 209 deaths have been reported from measles-related complications.
Health officials said hospitals remain under sustained pressure as new patients continue to arrive daily from across the country, many after initial treatment at local facilities.