A seven-and-a-half-month-old boy has died from measles at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, bringing the total number of fatalities linked to the disease at the facility to 79. The infant, who hailed from Nandail upazila in Mymensingh district, passed away on Saturday night, 17 October 2026, while undergoing treatment in the hospital’s dedicated isolation ward. Medical authorities confirmed that the child was also suffering from severe pneumonia alongside measles complications.
Despite ongoing vaccination drives across the region, health officials are struggling to curb the spread of the viral infection. Admission records show that 54 new pediatric patients were admitted to the hospital’s specialized measles isolation unit over the past 24 hours alone, bringing the total number of children currently receiving inpatient treatment to 138.
Official statistics released by the hospital administration paint a grim picture of the ongoing health crisis. Since 17 March, a total of 5,222 children have tested positive for measles at the facility. Medical staff have successfully treated and discharged 5,005 young patients during this period, but the continuous influx of new cases continues to strain pediatric resources.
Public health specialists express growing concern over the persistence of the outbreak despite immunisation efforts. Many infants arriving at the hospital present secondary complications such as severe malnutrition, acute respiratory distress, and pneumonia, which significantly increase mortality risks. Medical experts stress that early detection is crucial and urge parents in rural areas to seek immediate medical intervention at local health centres at the first sign of symptoms, such as high fever and characteristic skin rashes. Hospital authorities maintain heightened surveillance in the isolation ward as emergency teams work to manage the steady stream of admissions.
