10 die of measles, measles-like symptoms

A total of 10 children died from measles and measles-like symptoms in the 24 hours between 8:00am Saturday and 8:00am Sunday, health authorities said.
With the latest fatalities, the number of confirmed deaths has remained unchanged at 28 since March 15, while suspected deaths have risen to 151 over the same period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) daily bulletin.
At least 150 new confirmed measles cases were reported in the past 24 hours, alongside 1,268 additional cases with measles-like symptoms.
The total number of confirmed cases has climbed to 2,639, while suspected cases have reached 15,653.
A total of 10,225 measles patients have been admitted to hospitals nationwide since March 15, of whom 7,656 have recovered and returned home, the DGHS said.
Meanwhile, the government has extended the ongoing special measles vaccination campaign to four more cities, including the two Dhaka city corporations, following the latest deaths.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain inaugurated the extended campaign in the city.
He said measles and other infectious diseases can be controlled through coordinated efforts.
The vaccination campaign will continue in the rest of the country from April 20.
The programme, which began on April 5 in 30 upazilas across 18 districts, has now been expanded to Dhaka South, Dhaka North, Mymensingh and Barisal city corporations.
The minister officially inaugurated the campaign at the Nagar Bhaban Auditorium of Dhaka South City Corporation.
He said bringing every child aged between six and 59 months under vaccination coverage is essential to controlling the disease.
He instructed officials to ensure the programme reaches every nook and corner of the country. However, the minister warned that even if measles and rubella are controlled, dengue could pose a major challenge ahead, adding that preparations have already begun.
Stressing the importance of proper chemical use in mosquito control, he said adult mosquitoes can only be eliminated if the quality and dosage of insecticides are maintained.
Speaking as a special guest, DGHS Director General Dr Pravath Chandra Biswas said isolation is crucial to prevent the spread of measles.
He added that special isolation and treatment arrangements have been made at all levels of government hospitals.
Vaccination activities will continue at designated centres from 9:00am to 5:00pm every day, except weekends.
It can be examined whether booster dose responds properly if it is applied to adolescent girls to prevent measles, said Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) Vice Chancellor Prof Dr FM Siddiqui said on Sunday.
In the case of children, it is seen that measles infection is occurring even before six months, which was not previously reported in the country.
This indicates that the immunity received from the mother's body is not reaching the child properly in all cases, he explained. "In this situation, the issue of booster jabs needs to be considered seriously", he emphasised.
He said this while addressing a discussion titled "Re-emergence of Measles: Challenges in Prevention and Management" organised by the BMU Department of Pediatrics at Dr. Milton Hall of the university.
"A large-scale study should be conducted on pregnant mothers to assess their immunity status. Based on the research, a policy decision can be made to provide additional vaccinations to adolescent girls, if necessary, which will help protect future generations," the VC continued.
"Every epidemic is a warning for us. It is time to consider how prepared we are for the next major epidemic," he warned. The VC also spoke on the proper use of the money allocated for vaccination and said it should be under accountability.
The discussion was moderated by Prof Dr Md Atiar Rahman, dean of the Faculty of Pediatrics, BMU.
Pediatricians, specialist doctors from various medical colleges and institutions and public health experts from the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and ICDDRB participated in the discussion.

nsrafsanju@gmail.com