Measles Outbreak in Faridpur: 20 Children Dead in Five Months Amid Eid Surge

A severe measles outbreak has claimed the lives of 20 children at Faridpur Medical College Hospital over the past five months. Health officials report a sharp surge in infections tied to recent Eid holiday travel, resulting in six child fatalities since May 26 alone.

On Monday night, two more children died while undergoing treatment: seven-month-old Ayan from Gopalganj’s Muksudpur upazila, and two-year-old Adiba from Faridpur Sadar.

Between January 1 and June 2, the hospital recorded 2,238 measles patients. The situation escalated during the Eid holidays, with the Faridpur Civil Surgeon's Office reporting 437 new child admissions since late May. Currently, 157 patients—predominantly children—are receiving treatment across district government hospitals, including 44 new admissions in the past 24 hours.

Faridpur Civil Surgeon Dr. Mahmudul Hasan attributed the recent spike to mass travel. "Infections increased as people returned to their villages from different parts of the country for Eid," he explained. However, he expects the situation to stabilize within the next two weeks.

Dr. Hasan urged parents not to delay medical care. "If a child shows measles symptoms, consult the nearest health center immediately. We are also ramping up awareness campaigns to ensure children receive their measles-rubella vaccinations on time."

Dr. Niranjan Bhowmik, a specialist at Faridpur Dr. Zahed Memorial Children's Hospital, emphasized that the disease is highly contagious. He advised parents to be vigilant for key symptoms: fever, red skin patches, coughing, and breathing difficulties.

Dr. Bhowmik specifically urged parents who traveled from Dhaka and other cities during Eid to have their children medically evaluated. "With quick identification, timely treatment, and 100% vaccination coverage, we can bring this outbreak under control," he said.