Only 6 of 48 children admitted with measles at Cumilla Medical vaccinated

Doctors warn the outbreak will persist unless children who missed jabs are urgently brought under vaccination

More than a month after the nationwide measles-rubella vaccination campaign, new patients are still arriving daily at the measles isolation unit of Cumilla Medical College Hospital.

Of the 48 children admitted on Tuesday, only six had received the vaccine, a figure doctors say is deeply concerning.

Prof Mia Monjur Ahmed, head of the hospital's paediatrics department, said most children being admitted had either not received or missed the vaccine.

“If so many children remain unvaccinated, the infection rate will not fall. In this situation, even vaccinated children could become infected again.”

He urged the district health authorities to launch fresh vaccination drives in Debidwar, Muradnagar and Chandina.

Up to Jul 20, some 3,040 people with measles symptoms had sought treatment across Cumilla.

Laboratory tests confirmed 496 infections. Thirteen people with measles symptoms and one confirmed measles patient have died.

During the same period, the hospital treated 2,586 measles patients, with 2,516 discharged after recovery.

Doctors said infants aged between eight and 11 months were among those receiving treatment, with many suffering severe illness and pneumonia requiring additional oxygen.

Many patients came from Muradnagar, Debidwar and Chandina, the district's hardest-hit areas.

Farmer Monir Hossain said his 11-year-old daughter Marufa had never received any vaccine, including routine childhood immunisations, and was now critically ill with measles.

Several parents said their children had missed the campaign because of illness, lack of awareness or vaccine unavailability, and called for another government drive.

Civil Surgeon Ali Nur Mohammad Bashir Ahmed said children who missed the campaign could still receive vaccines at government satellite clinics, designated vaccination centres and Upazila health complexes.