Bangladesh’s health authorities have reported 166 child deaths and over 19,000 suspected measles cases in the past month, signaling a severe outbreak. The government has instructed hospitals to prepare isolation and ICU facilities, while a special vaccination campaign began on April 5 targeting children aged six months to five years. Health Minister Sardar Shakhawat Hossain Bokul attributed the crisis to missed vaccination cycles and weaknesses in vaccine supply management.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that declining immunization rates have led to measles outbreaks in 57 countries in 2023, up from 36 the previous year. The Lancet reported that 2024 and 2025 saw the highest global measles outbreaks in two decades. Experts link the resurgence to disruptions in routine immunization during the COVID-19 pandemic and rising anti-vaccine sentiment in several countries.

WHO data show that while global measles cases and deaths fell sharply between 2000 and 2024, recent outbreaks threaten to reverse progress. Researchers are investigating whether new virus variants or reduced vaccine effectiveness are contributing factors, though no evidence has yet confirmed these possibilities.