FROM PAGE 1

symptoms, leading to the admission of 1,016 people.

With this, the total number of suspected cases rose to 54,419.

Meanwhile, health experts have urged the government to prioritise the ongoing measles vaccination drive and set up “fever corners” at local health complexes for early screening of diseases such as measles and pneumonia.

They made the call at a joint press conference organised by the Bangladesh Lung Foundation and the Chest and Heart Association of Bangladesh at the capital’s Abu Sayeed International Convention Centre yesterday.

Warning that pneumonia remains the primary cause of fatalities even during the ongoing measles outbreak, the experts proposed four specific measures: continuing the priority vaccination drive, establishing fever corners at district and upazila health complexes for quick screening, distributing WHO-approved treatment guidelines among all health workers, and raising mass awareness.

Presenting the keynote paper, Dr Ziaul Huq, a senior consultant at Evercare Hospital, said the fatality rate is 0.8 percent.

Around 99.2 percent of children infected with measles are still recovering, he said.

“We, along with all chest disease specialists in the country, are concerned about the overall measles situation, but not alarmed,” Ziaul said.

“Through the media and social networks, you often come across various information. For example, some reports claimed that measles was appearing alongside smallpox.

“Through investigation, we confirmed that it was actually a co-infection with chickenpox. We urge the public, through you, to remain alert against such misinformation.”

The Evercare Hospital physician added, “It must be remembered that measles is a highly contagious disease that spreads very quickly. However, 99 percent of patients recover completely.”

Prof Dr Ruhul Amin, senior vice-president of the Bangladesh Lung Foundation, said although 95 to 99 percent of measles patients recover within seven to 10 days, many of the remaining patients develop severe complications, including pneumonia, diarrhoea, and brain infections.

He blamed malnutrition and lack of breastfeeding for the high mortality rate.

He said the exclusive breastfeeding rate has dropped to 56 percent, leaving even infants under nine months vulnerable.

In addition, reliance on packaged foods, supplementary infant formula such as packet milk or powdered milk, is increasing the risk of various illnesses among children, he said.

Eminent paediatrician Prof Abid Hossain Mollah said measles weakens the immune system, paving the way for fatal bacterial pneumonia.