Bangladesh’s measles outbreak has killed 1,147 as vaccination gaps widen
Bangladesh reported 202,000 suspected measles cases and 1,147 deaths between mid-March and 9 October, the WHO said; 94% of reported deaths were among children under five. A Reuters investigation found that falling vaccination coverage, unreliable child-count data and gaps in the emergency campaign left millions unreached, despite an initial drive that vaccinated almost 20 million children.
Bottom line — The government’s new campaign targets 3.4 million children missed by the earlier drive.
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WHO and UNICEF estimated 2025 coverage at 90% for the first dose and 86% for the second, below the 95% level they say is needed to prevent outbreaks.
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WHO and UNICEF put 2024 coverage at 96% for the first dose and 93% for the second.
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Reuters found that a June health intervention targeting the same age group listed 4 million more children than the measles campaign.
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Meeting minutes reviewed by Reuters said the emergency campaign had one readiness check, rather than the usual four; the campaign was launched in four weeks.
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WHO meeting minutes recorded that unvaccinated children made up 82% of confirmed cases before the campaign and 85% afterwards.
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UNICEF and the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics say up to 40% of children are unregistered; government data show about a third of health-worker posts are vacant.
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The WHO says children over five account for a third of measles cases and recommends vaccination coverage of at least 95% for both doses.