Dhaka, June 14 (IANS) As many as four children have died due to symptoms-like measles in Bangladesh in the past 24 hours until 8 a.m. (local time) on Sunday, raising the total number of confirmed and suspected measles -elated deaths to 652, local media reported.

The latest four fatalities were identified as suspected measles deaths, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

With the latest fatalities, the number of suspected measles deaths has increased to 560, while the number of laboratory-confirmed measles deaths is unchanged at 92, United News of Bangladesh (UNB) reported.

As many as 1,052 new suspected measles cases were reported in Bangladesh during the 24-hour period, raising the number of measles-suspected cases in the country to 85,951.

As many as 75 new confirmed measles cases were reported in Bangladesh, raising the laboratory-confirmed infections to 10,323.

Since March 15, 70,579 patients with suspected measles have been admitted to hospitals in Bangladesh. Among them, 66,841 patients have recovered, according to DGHS data, United News of Bangladesh (UNB) reported.

Bangladesh's severe measles outbreak continues to spread despite government claims that vaccination coverage has exceeded 100 per cent of the targeted children, raising concerns among immunisation experts about vaccine effectiveness and coverage gaps, Bangladesh's daily Dhaka Tribune reported.

More than a month after a nationwide emergency measles vaccination drive concluded, hospitals across the country admit more than 1,000 children daily with measles or measles-like symptoms, while fatalities continue to rise.

The persistent rise in cases has alarmed public health experts, who said that vaccination coverage does not necessarily translate into protection unless children develop sufficient immunity.

"Measles transmission should decline significantly once vaccine coverage exceeds 90 per cent. If vaccination has truly reached the reported level, then infections should have fallen much more sharply by now," Dhaka Tribune quoted Be-Nazir Ahmed, former Director of the government's disease control branch, as saying.

According to Be-Nazir Ahmed, official targets may not accurately reflect the true size of the eligible children.

"In some cases, coverage may appear to be 100 per cent on paper while thousands of children remain unvaccinated in reality," he added.

--IANS

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