Bangladesh: Measles Outbreak - Mar 2026

The Bangladesh Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) reported that 118 children have died across the country since March 15 with suspected measles. During the same period, 5,940 children were hospitalised with measles symptoms, of whom 1,099 were further positively confirmed. Bangladesh launched an emergency measles-rubella campaign on April 5 with UNICEF, WHO and GAVI, to protect over 1.2 million children in 30 upazilas (sub-district administrative units). IFRC is facilitating the mobilisation of community volunteers for emergency vaccination campaign. The Dhaka Division has recorded the highest number of confirmed cases to date. ([ECHO, 7 Apr 2026](https://reliefweb.int/node/4206226))

Bangladesh faced a nationwide measles surge since mid-March, with cases reported in 57 on 64 districts. As of 9 April, 11,133 suspected cases and 1,599 confirmed cases had been recorded, alongside 138 suspected child deaths. Transmission remained high, mainly affecting children under five (80%), reflecting immunity gaps due to sub-optimal routine vaccination. In Rohingya camps (Cox’s Bazar), 76 suspected and 8 confirmed cases had been reported across multiple camps (including Camps 1E, 2E, 5, 9, 18, 20, 27 and Bhasan Char). Most cases (75%) were children under five, and 75% were unvaccinated. No cases had been confirmed among recent arrivals, but overcrowding and unknown vaccination status of 150,000 new refugees heightened outbreak risk. ([ECHO, 10 Apr 2026](https://reliefweb.int/node/4206861))

Bangladesh had been experiencing a measles outbreak across 58 out of 64 districts. As of 16 April, 166 children had died (32 laboratory-confirmed) and 19,161 cases had been hospitalised (2,973 laboratory-confirmed). In Rohingya camps, 211 suspected cases had been reported (8 confirmed). The outbreak was driven by gaps in routine immunisation, with clusters of zero-dose and under-vaccinated populations, compounded by delays in the 2025 nationwide measles-rubella (MR) campaign. [...]