FROM PAGE 1

cases reached 60,206.

Meanwhile, one confirmed and seven suspected measles deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.

DGHS Director General Prof Pravath Chandra Biswas, at a press conference at its headquarters, said the emergency measles-rubella campaign has reached near its expected target.

According to official data, as of yesterday, 75,228 more children than the targeted 1,80,15,064 aged between six months and under five years have been vaccinated, meaning coverage has surpassed 100 percent of the target.

However, data shows coverage in Sylhet reached 97 percent and in Barishal 99 percent, indicating that some children in the target group remain unvaccinated.

Explaining the matter, Prof Zahid Raihan, additional director general (administration) of DGHS, said the campaign target had been set on the basis of estimates, but the actual number of children requiring vaccination turned out to be higher. In addition, some children above the age bracket of five may have received the vaccine this time.

“Together, these reasons may explain why vaccination coverage exceeded 100 percent in certain divisions,” he told this correspondent after the press conference.

The campaign will continue till May 20 to bring the unvaccinated children under coverage, he added.

At the press conference, SM Ziauddin Hyder, special assistant to the prime minister for health, said immunity takes three to four weeks to develop after vaccination and expressed hope that measles cases would begin to decline sharply by the end of this month. “Losing children to measles in 2026 is a matter of shame for us.”

Meanwhile, a group under the banner of “Socheton Nagorik Samaj” yesterday formed a human chain in the capital’s Dhanmondi 27 area, demanding trial of interim government chief adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and his health adviser Nurjahan Begum over the measles deaths and compensation for the victims’ families.