Seven children died with measles-like symptoms in the 24 hours until 8:00am on Saturday, bringing the country’s combined tally of confirmed and suspected measles-related deaths to 1,019 this year.

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has classified all seven latest fatalities as suspected measles deaths, UNB reports. 

With these, the total number of suspected measles deaths has reached 919, while confirmed deaths from measles have remained the same at 100.

A total of 816 new suspected measles cases were reported during the 24-hour period, bringing the cumulative number of suspected cases nationwide to 170,638.

Meanwhile, 39 new confirmed measles cases were recorded, bringing the total number of laboratory-confirmed infections to 20,006.

Since March 15 this year, a total of 150,202 patients with suspected measles have been hospitalised across the country, of whom 144,485 have recovered, according to DGHS data.