More than 100 dead in outbreak of Measles in Bangladesh.

More than 100 people have died of suspected Measles in an outbreak of the disease in Bangladesh. Cases started appearing in mid-March 2026, since when more than 7500 suspected cases have been reported, with more than 4600 people hospitalised, almost all of whom are young children, with about one third of those affected being under nine months old. Over 900 cases have been laboratory-confirmed, including 16 of those who lost their lives.

A patient being treated for Measles at the Dhaka Medical College in Bangladesh. Drik Picture Library/Getty Images.

Measles is a human disease caused by a Virus in the Paramyxovirus family. The Virus infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body. It can lead to major epidemics with significant morbidity and mortality, especially among vulnerable people. Among young and malnourished children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals, including those with HIV, cancer or treated with immunosuppressives, Measles can cause serious complications, including severe diarrhoea, blindness, encephalitis, pneumonia, and death.

Thin-section transmission electron micrograph revealing the ultrastructural appearance of a single Viron, of the Measles Virus. The measles Virus is a Paramyxovirus, of the genus Morbillivirus. It is 100-200 nm in diameter, with a core of single-stranded RNA, and is closely related to the Rinderpest and Canine Distemper Viruses. Two membrane envelope proteins are important in pathogenesis. They are the F (fusion) protein, which is responsible for fusion of virus and host cell membranes, viral penetration, and hemolysis, and the H (hemagglutinin) protein, which is responsible for adsorption of virus to cells. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Wikimedia Commons.

Transmission is primarily person-to-person by airborne respiratory droplets that disperse rapidly when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Transmission can also occur through direct contact with infected secretions. Transmission from asymptomatic exposed immune persons has not been demonstrated. The Virus remains contagious in the air or on contaminated surfaces for up to two hours. A patient is infectious from four days before the start of the rash to four days after its appearance. There is no specific antiviral treatment for Measles, but most people recover within 2-3 weeks.

An effective and safe vaccine is available for prevention and control. The Measles-containing-vaccine first-dose is given at the age of nine months, while the Measles-containing-vaccine second dose is given at the age of 15 months. A 95% population coverage of Measles-containing-vaccine first-dose and Measles-containing-vaccine second dose is required to stop measles circulation.

In areas with low vaccination coverage, epidemics typically occur every two to three years and usually last between two and three months. However, their duration varies according to population size, crowding, and the population’s immunity status.

The Measles outbreak in Bangladesh this year is thought to have been linked to the recent political instability in the country, as well as the Covid-19 pandemic. Bangladesh typically runs a major Measles vaccination campaign every four years. However, the 2020 campaign is thought to have been disrupted by the diverting of staff and resources to deal with the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the 2024 campaign was cancelled amid the political turmoil which led to the removal of the country's president, Sheikh Hasina, and the installation of an interim government under the economist Muhammad Yunus, which made repairing the country's economic and political systems a priority.

Following elections in February 2026, a new government was sworn in, led by Tarique Rahman of the Bangladesh National Party. This new government has launched a major new Measles vaccination campaign in response to the epidemic, beginning with 30 identified hotspots in 20 of the country's 64 districts, targeting 1.2 million children between the ages of six months and five years who have not received the vaccination. 

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