Bangladesh is currently facing a severe measles outbreak. According to a report by Xinhua News Agency, figures released by the Bangladeshi government on 29 April indicate that the measles outbreak has spread rapidly across the country since mid-March, resulting in the deaths of 227 children. Of the nearly 35,000 suspected cases, the majority are children aged between six months and five years. This outbreak is considered one of the most severe measles epidemics in Bangladesh in decades, and the World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised the country’s alert level. According to WHO data cited by Reuters, in the single month from 15 March to 14 April alone, Bangladesh reported over 19,000 suspected cases, of which nearly 3,000 were confirmed as measles through laboratory testing. So, why has there been such a sharp rise in measles cases? The WHO believes that the decline in vaccination coverage in Bangladesh in recent years is one of the main reasons for the rapid spread of this outbreak. Data shows that the highest number of suspected measles cases in Bangladesh occurred in 2005, with 25,934 cases that year, but the number of cases subsequently fell significantly, only to rise sharply again this year. In Bangladesh, measles vaccinations typically begin when infants are nine months old. However, according to Sajad, Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Health, approximately one-third of those infected in this outbreak are infants under nine months of age. The number of measles cases is particularly high in a mountainous area of the Chittagong region. This region borders Myanmar and is characterised by poor transport links and poverty; many people are unable to seek timely medical treatment because they cannot afford the cost of travelling to hospital, which has led to the outbreak spreading even more severely. Furthermore, Muhammad Halimur Rashid, Head of Disease Control at the Bangladesh Ministry of Health, stated that the outbreak is also linked to a shortage of vaccines. He noted that compared to previous years, both the number of measles infections and the death toll have risen this year. Although routine vaccination programmes have continued, some targeted vaccination campaigns originally scheduled for June 2024 have been postponed for various reasons; the next round of targeted vaccination is set to begin in June. Currently, the Bangladeshi government has launched a nationwide vaccination programme aimed at vaccinating approximately 18 million children, though it may take some time for the effects of the vaccination drive to become apparent. Measles is an acute infectious disease caused by the measles virus, which is primarily transmitted through respiratory droplets. Those infected usually develop symptoms such as high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a rash within one to two weeks of exposure to the virus. In severe cases, measles can lead to complications such as pneumonia and may even be life-threatening. Globally, approximately 95,000 people die from measles each year, the vast majority of whom are children under the age of five who have not been vaccinated or have not received a full course of vaccination. As there is currently no specific treatment, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) emphasise that vaccination is the best means of combating the virus. Over the past 20 years, there has been a significant decline in the number of measles cases and deaths worldwide. However, the WHO has also warned that measles outbreaks may resurface in some regions due to falling vaccination rates. In responding to the current outbreak, Bangladesh needs to step up vaccination efforts, particularly in the hardest-hit areas. At the same time, strengthening public health infrastructure and improving healthcare coverage for residents in remote areas will also be key measures in tackling the outbreak in the future.