STAR REPORT

The number of children hospitalised with measles symptoms is rising sharply across the Khulna division, putting pressure on already strained health facilities.

At least 56 children were admitted between 8:00am Monday and 8:00am yesterday, according to the divisional health office.

A total of 351 children were undergoing treatment across the division till Monday afternoon, said Mujibur Rahman, deputy director of the divisional health office.

Kushtia is the worst-affected district in the division, with 101 children currently hospitalised.

“All health facilities have been alerted, but there are not enough beds at the upazila level. We have been asked to make arrangements as best as possible,” said Dr Mosammat Mahfuza Khatun, civil surgeon of Khulna.

She said health workers are going door to door to raise awareness and identify unvaccinated children, adding that there is no shortage of measles vaccines.

So far, seven children have died in the division after showing measles symptoms.

Meanwhile, in Mymensingh, a nine-month-old child from Nakla upazila in Sherpur died in the last 24 hours from post-measles pneumonia with respiratory failure, said Dr Mohammad Mainuddin Khan, assistant director of Mymensingh Medical College Hospital.

A total of seven children have died with similar symptoms at the hospital in the past 20 days, he said.

During this time, 276 suspected measles patients were admitted, of whom 87 remain under treatment as of yesterday afternoon.

However, the hospital has no paediatric ICU. A six-bed unit has been prepared but is not yet operational, and patients needing ICU support are being referred to Dhaka.

Dr Faisal Ahmed, acting civil surgeon in Mymensingh, said three dedicated beds have been arranged in each of the district’s 11 upazila health complexes, and a fever clinic has been launched at the hospital’s outpatient department.

In Rajshahi, a six-month-old girl from Gomostapur upazila in Chapainawabganj died in the last 24 hours with measles-like symptoms, said Dr Shankar K Biswas, spokesperson for Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.

With this, 43 children have died with similar symptoms this year, he said, adding that 123 patients are currently undergoing treatment there.

In Gazipur, eight children were admitted with measles symptoms at Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital in the past 24 hours. A total of 34 children are undergoing treatment there, said on-duty doctor Mohammad Hanif.

[Our correspondents from Khulna, Mymensingh, Rajshahi and Gazipur contributed to the report.]