Seven more children die of measles as toll climbs to 1,214; 1,135 new cases in a day
In the ongoing nationwide measles outbreak, seven more children have died in the last 24 hours with various symptoms of the disease. That brings the total death toll from measles and its complex symptoms since this year's outbreak began to 1,214.
The information was confirmed in a regular press release sent from the control room of the Directorate General of Health Services on Friday.
According to the release, another 1,135 children were newly infected with measles and its symptoms in a single day. Among them, laboratory tests confirmed infection in 25 children, while the remaining 1,110 children received treatment for symptoms.
A review of the directorate's data shows that from March 15 to October 23 this year, 1,103 children died with measles symptoms alone. In the same period, another 104 children died of laboratory-confirmed measles.
The total number of suspected measles patients in the country now stands at 218,870, of whom 23,273 have been confirmed through testing.
A total of 194,633 patients have been admitted to hospitals with the infection so far, of whom 186,798 have already recovered, been discharged and returned home.
The pattern of deaths was visible in the previous update as well. According to the earlier combined report, seven children also died with measles symptoms in that single day; the total toll then stood at 1,162 — 1,058 with symptoms and 104 confirmed. On that day, 93 children were newly confirmed to have measles, symptoms appeared in 1,180 children, 1,102 children were admitted to hospital and 1,015 were discharged.
It is not measles alone: the dengue outbreak at the same time is also making the public health situation alarming. According to the health directorate's measles and dengue update, the two diseases together claimed 11 lives in a single day; in the same period, 2,193 people were admitted to hospitals with dengue — the highest single-day figure this year.
According to the directorate's dengue release, the total number of dengue deaths across the country this year now stands at 317. The total number of patients admitted to hospital with dengue is 103,396; 97,296 have recovered and returned home.
By month, the recently ended September was the deadliest of this year, with 148 deaths from dengue. Another 71 people died at the very start of October. Before that, 43 died in August, 36 in July, 13 in June, one in May, and two each in January and February.
The dengue release also gives a division-wise picture of admissions over one 24-hour period — the highest in Dhaka Division, with 845 patients. In addition, 318 patients were admitted in Chattogram Division, 230 in Khulna, 196 in Barishal, 184 in Rajshahi, 97 in Mymensingh and 71 in Rangpur. In that period, dengue claimed nine more lives, and 1,965 patients recovered and left hospital.
On one side, children are dying with measles symptoms; on the other, dengue deaths and hospital admissions are rising — the directorate's own data shows the simultaneous spread of the two diseases has pushed the country's public health situation into alarming territory.
The numbers of measles infections and deaths are rising every day; more than a thousand new child cases in a single day means the outbreak is still on an upward curve. The health directorate is publishing updates daily. Which way infection and death rates move in the coming days is now the biggest question.
