The BMJ reports Bangladeshi government surveillance figures for the measles outbreak that began in January in the Cox's Bazar camp for Rohingya refugees. Between mid-March and 8 October, 201 625 people were reported with measles symptoms, of whom 22 116 had the infection confirmed in a laboratory. Deaths reported as measles numbered 1040, of which 104 were laboratory confirmed. The report puts the wider death toll as high as 1144, with most of the dead being children. Officials said these counts are an underestimate, citing limited laboratory capacity, delayed treatment and measles deaths being recorded under other causes. These are counts gathered during a continuing outbreak rather than a completed epidemiological study.
Why it is interesting: The reporting government describes its own confirmed death count as an undercount, citing limited laboratory capacity and misassigned causes. It runs alongside an investigation into Bangladesh's national immunisation programme, of interest to anyone following measles resurgence and vaccination coverage.
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