Health Services Division Secretary Md Kamruzzaman Chowdhury has said that investigations are underway into the ongoing measles outbreak and the deaths of children across the country.
He made the remarks on Saturday during a roundtable discussion held at Dr Milton Hall of Bangladesh Medical University in the capital.
“The state bears responsibility for every death. Each incident must be properly investigated,” he said, adding that inquiries into deaths linked to measles and measles-like symptoms are ongoing. He also said that the findings will be made public once the reports are finalised.
The roundtable, titled “Measles outbreak and the way forward,” was organised by the Bangladesh Health Reporters Forum.
Nine more child deaths reported
Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) reported that nine more children died from measles and measles-like symptoms across the country in the past 24 hours.
Of the latest fatalities, three children tested positive for measles, while six others were reported to have shown measles-like symptoms.
With these deaths, the total number of child fatalities linked to measles and similar symptoms has risen to 352.
During the same 24-hour period, 946 additional children developed measles-like symptoms nationwide, while 489 were newly diagnosed with measles, bringing the total number of affected children to 1,435.
Among the latest deaths, three children who tested positive for measles died in Barisal. Of those who died with measles-like symptoms, three were in Dhaka, two in Khulna, and one in Sylhet.
Rising cases since March 15
According to DGHS data, since March 15, a total of 291 children have died with measles-like symptoms, while 61 deaths were among children who tested positive for measles.
During the same period, 47,656 children have developed measles-like symptoms. Of them, 33,631 were admitted to hospitals, and 29,746 have since recovered and been discharged.
The DGHS also reported that 6,979 children have tested positive for measles over the same timeframe.