Five Children Die of Measles in Sylhet

A surge in measles cases has claimed the lives of five more children in the Sylhet division during the four-day Eid holiday. According to a report released on Sunday by the Office of the Divisional Director of Health, these fatalities occurred over a four-day period starting last Tuesday (26th of the month).

With these latest casualties, the total number of children dying after exhibiting measles symptoms in the division since January has reached 60. Laboratory tests have officially confirmed measles as the cause of death for four of these patients, while the remaining cases presented identical clinical symptoms.

Particulars of the Deceased Children

The health directorate’s report provided specific details regarding the five children who succumbed to the illness during the holiday period:

• Abdullah Al-Mahin: An 8-month-old boy, son of Masum Ahmed from Islampur Union in Zakiganj Upazila, Sylhet.

• Arifa: A 6-month-old girl, daughter of Nazmul Haque from Osmani Nagar Upazila, Sylhet.

• Arim: A 9-month-old boy, son of Imran Ahmad from Alampur in Chhatak Upazila, Sunamganj.

• Nusaifa: A 6-month-old girl, daughter of Ataur Rahman from Mollapara Madhupur in Sunamganj Sadar Upazila.

• Abdullah Al-Zayan: A 5-month-old boy, son of Abul Kashem from Nurpur in Osmani Nagar Upazila, Sylhet.

Hospital Admissions and Current Patient Load

The outbreak continues to put significant pressure on local healthcare facilities. In the 24 hours leading up to Sunday, 69 new patients presenting with measles symptoms were admitted to various hospitals across the division.

Currently, a total of 265 patients are undergoing treatment for measles symptoms in different medical institutions within the Sylhet division. The highest concentration of cases is at the Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital and the Shahid Shamsuddin Ahmed Hospital.

The institutional breakdown of recent admissions and total hospitalised patients is detailed in the table below:

Institutional Distribution of Cases

Data provided by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) underscores that the crisis is heavily concentrated in Sylhet city, though patients are arriving from various outlying sub-districts. Of the 69 individuals hospitalised in the last 24 hours, 31 were admitted to Shahid Shamsuddin Ahmed Hospital, whilst 17 were registered at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital.

Furthermore, Moulvibazar District Sadar Hospital received 12 new patients, and the private Jalalabad Ragib-Rabeya Medical College Hospital admitted 9. Out of the 265 patients currently remaining in hospital care across the entire division, 106 are placed at Osmani Medical College Hospital, 67 at Shahid Shamsuddin Ahmed Hospital, and 22 at Sunamganj District Sadar Hospital. Regional public health authorities are monitoring the statistics as medical facilities manage the influx of symptomatic children.