Bangladesh measles epidemic
Bangladesh's measles epidemic has killed more than 1,000 people since mid-March 2026, despite an emergency vaccination campaign that has delivered nearly 20 million doses - far above the government's original 18-million-child target. By September 9, health authorities had logged 1,009 deaths (100 lab-confirmed, 909 suspected), a stark jump from just 132 total cases and zero deaths the previous year. Al Jazeera's reporting traced the crisis to years of eroding routine immunization: first-dose measles-rubella coverage fell from about 89% in 2019 to 86% in 2023, and Bangladesh had not run a nationwide supplementary vaccination campaign since 2020-21, well below the roughly 95% coverage needed to stop transmission. Political upheaval after the 2024 ouster of then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina further delayed vaccine procurement and deepened shortages.
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