At least three children died and 947 others were hospitalised with measles symptoms across Bangladesh in the 24 hours until 8:00am on Friday, raising the total suspected measles death toll to 94 and hospitalisations to 5,792 since March 15, according to the Directorate General of Health Services.

The DGHS said that 42 new laboratory-confirmed measles cases were detected in the past 24 hours, taking the number of confirmed infections to 771 during the same period.

No measles death was confirmed in the past 24 hours, while the DGHS confirmed a total of nine measles deaths since March 15.

The directorate on April 2 reported 13 confirmed measles deaths, but on Friday revised down the figure to nine, saying that some hospitals mistakenly reported suspected measles deaths as confirmed cases.

On April 2, the DGHS reported four deaths with measles symptoms and 685 hospitalisations in the previous 24 hours, with the suspected death toll standing at 27 and total hospitalisations at 3,709 since March 15.

The latest data show that suspected measles deaths increased by 67 and hospitalisations by 2,083 within a day due to updated reporting from hospitals.

DGHS additional director (administration) Dr Md Zahid Raihan said that the updated figures reflected delayed reporting from health facilities across the country.

‘Many hospitals could not report their data to the DGHS in time and several cases are still outside the reporting system,’ he said.

He added that the DGHS was trying to collect detailed information from all hospitals and gradually incorporate them in the central reporting system.

Epidemiologists suspect that the number of deaths and infected people would increase once all the hospitals report them.

According to officials, the highly contagious viral disease spread across the country and so far confirms cases have been found in eight cities and 56 districts.

Virologist and former vice-chancellor of Bangladesh Medical University  professor Nazrul Islam warned that the disruption in immunisation activities posed a serious public health risk.

‘The halt in vaccination not only increases measles risk but also threatens the entire immunisation system. And the situation could lead to outbreaks of other preventable diseases,’ he said.

Amid the spread of the virus, the government announced the start of an emergency vaccination from tomorrow.

The DGHS cancelled all leaves of its officials and employees and the health minister met with the healthcare support staff members who were in protest demanding upgradation of their jobs.

Health minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain requested the workers to conduct the vaccination successfully and the government would consider their demands.

Officials said that the flow of measles suspected patients on the rise across the country.

According to the DGHS, a total of 1,249 measles patients were undergoing treatment at hospitals across the country as of Friday morning.

The DGHS said that of the latest three suspected deaths, two were from Cox’s Bazar.

However, New Age correspondents in Rajshahi, Mymensignh, Tangail and Kustia, quoting local hospitals, each reported one measles symptomatic deaths.

In Tangail, a 13‑month‑old child died at 250-bed Tangail general hospital on Friday while undergoing treatment with measles-like symptoms.

The deceased was Safa, daughter of Saddam Hosen of Dhulutia village of Karatia union at Sadar upazila in the district.

Tangail General Hospital deputy director Khandaker Sadiqur Rahman said that eight more were admitted in the past 24 hours, raising the total number of measles patients to 23.

On April 2, another 13-month-old child, Saifal, died at Tangail general hospital.

In Kustia, an eight-month-old child, who was admitted to Kushtia Medical College Hospital with suspected measles symptoms, died on Friday while undergoing treatment.

The child, Afran, son of Al Amin from Bhadalia village under sadar upazila in the district, died at about 5:30am while receiving care at the hospital.

Hospital deputy director HM Anwarul Islam said the child had been in critical condition since admission.

In Rajshahi, one measles suspect died on Friday and 130 were undergoing treatment.

In Mymensingh, another measles suspect died on Friday, raising the total number of deaths to six in the district since March.