Another child dies of measles in Cumilla, adults show symptoms too

Another child has died after contracting measles in Cumilla, while adults too have been seeking treatment with symptoms of the disease.

On Saturday, district health authorities said 15 new patients had been hospitalised in the previous 24 hours.

The child died in the measles isolation ward at Cumilla Medical College Hospital on Thursday morning, according to the latest update from the civil surgeon’s office issued on Sunday.

The dead child was identified as 8-month-old Hossain, son of Shah Poran from Muradnagar Upazila.

Doctors at the hospital said the outbreak was no longer confined to children, with adults also coming in with measles symptoms.

Prof Dr Helalur Rahman, head of the hospital’s medicine department, said 46 patients with measles symptoms had been admitted to the medicine ward between Apr 1 and Apr 18.

Of them, 29 have since been discharged, while 17 remain under treatment, he said.

Helalur said symptoms were also being seen among patients aged between 15 and 50.

He said five new patients in that age group were admitted on Apr 17, though none was in serious condition.

The physician described this year’s measles infection rate and symptoms as somewhat “abnormal”.

He advised people to wear masks if they come into contact with infected patients.

Confirming the child’s death, Mia Monjur Ahmed, head of the paediatrics department at Cumilla Medical College Hospital, said Hossain had been admitted to the measles isolation ward on the night of Apr 14 with high fever, cough and severe rash.

With Hossain’s death, five children in the district have now died after contracting measles, he added.

Of them, two died at Cumilla Medical College Hospital, while the others were infected in Cumilla and later died while undergoing treatment in Dhaka.

Hospital authorities said that 106 children with measles were currently receiving treatment at Cumilla Medical College Hospital.