Bangladesh logs 243 new measles cases, 5 more suspected deaths in a day

The nationwide death toll linked to the disease climbs to 91

Suspected measles deaths have risen in Bangladesh, with five more children dying in the last 24 hours.

During the same period, 243 new cases have been confirmed.

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said in its regular bulletin on Friday that 91 people have died from confirmed cases since Mar 15, while 519 more deaths with suspected symptoms have also been recorded.

It added that Dhaka accounts for the highest number of deaths with 214, followed by 85 in Rajshahi Division.

According to the DGHS, 1,168 people arrived at hospitals nationwide with measles symptoms over the past 24 hours, with doctors admitting 1,093 of them to isolation wards.

The capital sat at the top of the daily hospitalisation chart with 403 symptomatic patients entering its medical units, while Rangpur registered the lowest intake with 17 admissions.

With the fresh updates, the tally of suspected cases across the country has reached 76,876, while laboratory-tested confirmed infections stand at 9,503.