Bangladesh is battling the largest measles outbreak recorded anywhere this year, and it's a story that matters to anyone considering a trip there. Between mid-March and early October, the country logged around 202,000 suspected cases — 22,000 of them lab-confirmed — and 1,147 deaths, according to the World Health Organization. Almost all of the dead, 94%, were children under five.

The numbers are stark for a country that was recently held up as a vaccination success story. In 2024, WHO and UNICEF estimated 96% of eligible children got their first measles dose. But coverage slipped in 2025 — to roughly 90% for the first dose and 86% for the second — after political upheaval following the 2024 protests that ended Sheikh Hasina's 15-year rule disrupted health services, triggered strikes among health workers and delayed vaccine orders. Sylhet, in the country's northeast, has been among the hardest-hit regions, with 180 recorded child deaths.

The response has stumbled. An emergency campaign in April and May vaccinated nearly 20 million children, but a comparison with a separate June health programme targeting the same age group suggests the measles drive missed roughly 4 million children. Internal documents show only one round of pre-launch readiness checks was carried out instead of the usual four, and by August the share of confirmed measles cases among unvaccinated children had actually risen slightly, from 82% to 85%. A new campaign launched at the end of September targets 3.4 million previously missed children, but officials face uphill odds: up to 40% of children lack birth registration and about a third of health worker posts are vacant. There's also a simultaneous dengue epidemic stretching hospitals — one 100-bed Sylhet hospital was treating 178 measles patients when Reuters visited.

For travellers, the practical takeaway is straightforward. Measles is one of the most contagious viruses known, and adults who are unvaccinated, under-vaccinated or unsure of their status can catch it easily in crowded markets, transport hubs and hospitals. Check that you've had two doses of a measles-containing vaccine (MMR) before travelling anywhere in Bangladesh, and take particular care if you're visiting rural areas or travelling with infants too young to be fully vaccinated. The same trip-planning logic applies to dengue: pack repellent and cover up at dawn and dusk. Broader health systems are under visible strain, so comprehensive travel insurance with medical evacuation cover is worth considering. Anyone planning travel in the coming months should check current advice from their national health authority before booking. — Daily Sabah Travel