Bangladesh Red Crescent Society Situation Report 1: Measles Situation in Bangladesh (9 April 2026)

Country: Bangladesh Source: Bangladesh Red Crescent Society Please refer to the attached file. Overall Situation: Bangladesh is currently facing a significant resurgence of measles, posing a major public health concern, particularly for young children. After several years of progress toward measles elimination, recent trends indicate a reversal, driven largely by immunity gaps and uneven vaccination coverage across the country. Measles is a highly contagious viral disease with serious health consequences, particularly for children. It spreads rapidly in lowimmunity settings and can lead to severe complications such as pneumonia, encephalitis, blindness, and malnutrition. The most affected group is children under five years of age, especially those who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated. Bangladesh is currently has been experiencing a nationwide surge in measles cases, with confirmed transmission reported across all eight divisions. Between 15 March and 8 April 2026, a total of 1, 599 confirmed and 7, 577 suspected cases have been reported, with the highest burden in Dhaka, Rajshahi, and Chattogram divisions. However, the highest incidence was in Barishal Division (29. 9%), followed by Rajshahi Division (29. 2%), Mymensingh (28. 5%) and Dhaka Division (27. 0%) per million population. This marks a sharp increase compared to 2025, when only 125 cases were recorded. In addition, 21 confirmed and 138 suspected child deaths have been reported, underscoring the severity of the outbreak and its disproportionate impact on young children. highlighting persistent immunity gaps. Epidemiological findings from WHO and IEDCR indicate that 81% of confirmed cases are among children under five, and 70. 9% had no documented Measles and Rubella (MR) vaccination history. The test positivity rate is estimated at 25–30%, while gaps in MR1 and MR2 coverage persist at subnational levels. Measles cases have now been reported in 57 out of 64 districts, reflecting widespread transmission. In response, the Incident Management System has been activated at the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, with Rapid Response Teams deployed to high-risk areas. According to WHO, the current outbreak is primarily due to immunity gaps in routine childhood immunization over the past two years. Despite earlier progress toward elimination, with incidence per million population declining to 0. 72 in 2025, the current rate has risen sharply to around 16. 8, indicating active nationwide transmission. Trend analysis further shows that both MR cases declined between 2023 and 2025 in terms of number and geographic spread. However, 2026 marks a clear shift, with a sharp resurgence of measles characterized by dense clustering across many districts, while rubella cases have dropped to very low levels. This pattern highlights a significant rebound of measles alongside a continued decline in rubella. Healthcare facilities are now facing a growing influx of children presenting with fever, respiratory distress, and generalized rash. Many hospitals have opened isolation units to manage the increased caseload and reduce further transmission. Moreover, WHO reports that these areas are recording an annualized incidence of 50 or more confirmed cases per million population. Based on this, the estimated population at risk is approximately 2. 7 million. According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), the hotspot areas for measles outbreak include Barishal, Jhalokathi, Chandpur, Cox’s Bazar, Munshiganj, Madaripur, Dhaka, Shariatpur, Gazipur, Jashore, Netrakona, Mymensingh, Pabna, Chapainawabganj, Rajshahi, Naogaon, and Natore districts Hotspot areas include Barishal, Jhalokathi, Chandpur, Cox’s Bazar, Munshiganj, Madaripur, Dhaka, Shariatpur, Gazipur, Jashore, Netrakona, Mymensingh, Pabna, Chapainawabganj, Rajshahi, Naogaon, and Natore. In addition, several urban high-risk areas have been identified, including Mymensingh City Corporation, Dhaka North City Corporation, Dhaka South City Corporation, and Barishal City Corporation. Confirmed measles cases have been reported by WHO from 57 of 64 districts, indicating widespread national transmission. Among them Barguna district has the highest incidence (104. 8) of measles among all 64 districts in the country.

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