A severe measles outbreak has been reported inside the Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute in Dhaka, where parents allege that children admitted for other illnesses are contracting measles during treatment. As of April 2026, 466 children had been hospitalized with measles symptoms since January, and 17 had died. Hospital data show a 152 percent rise in admissions from March to April, with most patients aged between six and nine months. The hospital’s specialized measles ward and ICU are operating at full capacity, leaving many families struggling to find beds.

Doctors confirm that measles, being highly contagious, is spreading through respiratory contact among patients. They cite delayed vaccination and malnutrition as key factors worsening the situation. Parents describe distressing scenes of infants suffering from fever, rashes, and breathing difficulties, while many express frustration over the shortage of ICU beds and limited care facilities.

According to the Directorate General of Health Services, 1,096 new measles cases were recorded nationwide in the past 24 hours, including four suspected deaths. Since March 15, a total of 284 child deaths have been reported, 49 of them confirmed measles fatalities.