The measles situation has worsened as the number of suspected measles patients crossed 1,000 in a single day and hospitals across Bangladesh struggle to cope with the growing influx of infected children.

According to the Directorate General of Health Services, at least 1,282 suspected patients were identified across the country in the 24 hours until 8:00am Monday, the highest single-day tally since the government began counting cases past week.

Five more children died with measles symptoms, raising the total suspected death toll to 118 and suspected infections to 8,534 since March 15.

So far, 20 deaths have been laboratory confirmed, including two in the latest reporting period, while confirmed infections reached 1,099, including 180 in the past 24 hours.

All five latest suspected deaths were reported from Dhaka.

Amid the spread of the highly contagious disease, the government has announced a nationwide measles vaccination campaign from May 3.

Health minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain on Monday told parliament that the ongoing emergency measles vaccination in 30 upazilas under 18 districts would be expanded to Dhaka, Mymensingh, and Barishal city corporations on April 12 before a nationwide rollout on May 3.

Amid the worsening outbreak, the government on Sunday launched the emergency measles-rubella immunisation campaign targeting about 12 lakh children aged between six months and five years in high-risk 30 upazilas with support from UNICEF, the World Health Organisation, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

‘On the first day, 73,000 children were vaccinated against a target of 76,000 in 30 upazilas, achieving 96 per cent coverage,’ the minister said while responding to a notice raised by National Citizen Party lawmaker Akhter Hossen.

He attributed the recent surge in measles cases to vaccination gaps and mismanagement by previous governments, including the immediate past interim administration.

Bangladesh conducts measles immunisation in two ways — regular vaccination and vaccination campaigning in every four years. In recent years, the vaccination has been disrupted for the shortage of jabs.

DGHS director for disease control professor Md Halimur Rashid said that authorities had initially planned a nationwide vaccination drive in June but rescheduled it considering the rapid spread of the virus and consultations with stakeholders.

As hospitals face a surge of patients, resource shortages have become increasingly visible in several regions.

New Age correspondent in Barishal reported that Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital has been struggling to manage the growing number of measles patients due to a shortage of beds and oxygen masks.

Doctors at the hospital have been forced to improvise oxygen support for children using locally made plastic boxes and bottles due to a shortage of standard equipment.

Four-month-and-25-day-old Tabassum, daughter of farmer Hafizul, has been receiving oxygen in such a makeshift arrangement in the paediatric ward since her condition deteriorated after being admitted with fever and measles symptoms.

At the isolation ward, several children were seen sharing beds due to overcrowding, with some beds accommodating three to four patients at a time.

On Monday, the hospital had 565 patients in total, including 72 measles patients in isolation, nearly seven times higher than its capacity.

Divisional health director Shyamal Krishna Mondal said that doctors had arranged locally-made oxygen boxes to ensure uninterrupted oxygen supply for children.

Assistant director of the hospital Abdul Munayem Saad said that the improvisation was necessary to maintain oxygen flow amid rising patient pressure, while hospital director Brigadier General Moshiul Munir described the measure as ‘local innovation’ to handle the crisis.

Patients admitted to hospitals in the capital and other divisions also struggle for beds and services.

However, the health minister rejected allegations of shortages in hospitals.

Health minister Sakhawat Husain said that isolation wards, ICU facilities, ventilators, and other equipment were available across the country and necessary steps were being taken wherever required.

He added that ventilators and medical equipment were being supplied quickly to hospitals facing pressure.

Public health experts said that Bangladesh had maintained strong immunisation coverage for decades but recent disruptions in vaccination programmes and health system operations created immunity gaps, allowing the highly contagious virus to spread rapidly.

Experts urged the government to strengthen hospital preparedness and ensure sufficient medical equipment and trained personnel to manage severe cases.