More than 600 cases reported as delayed vaccination campaign raises concerns.

Bangladesh’s prime minister, Tarique Rahman, has ordered an urgent nationwide review following a measles outbreak that has recorded more than 600 cases, officials said Monday.

Rahman has directed two senior ministers to travel across the country to assess the scale of the crisis and coordinate response efforts, according to a statement from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

A senior Health Ministry official, Md Halimur Rashid, who heads the disease control unit, said there have been 674 reported cases of Measles nationwide this year.

Measles is among the most contagious diseases in the world, according to the World Health Organization, and spreads through coughing or sneezing.

Complications can include brain swelling and severe respiratory problems. While the disease can affect people of all ages, it is most common in children.

Bangladesh has made significant progress in vaccination efforts to combat infectious diseases, but a planned measles campaign scheduled for June 2024 was delayed due to unrest during a mass uprising that led to the government’s fall.

Rashid said routine vaccination drives have continued, but the postponed campaign is now expected to begin in June.

The World Health Organization estimates that measles causes around 95,000 deaths globally each year, mostly among unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children under five.

There is no specific treatment for measles once infection occurs.