Bangladesh is struggling to contain a measles outbreak that has killed nearly 1,000 people, according to the Ministry of Health. The ministry reported more than 166,000 suspected measles cases since March, including 19,835 laboratory-confirmed infections.

Hospitals in the capital, Dhaka, are treating children with severe symptoms. One child, eight-month-old Rojatun Jannat Ramisa, was struggling to breathe at a specialized children's hospital after being referred from a district hospital in eastern Bangladesh. Her mother said she traveled hundreds of kilometers for treatment and saw other children there with red rashes, mouth sores, and fevers.

The outbreak is spreading across the country, and health officials attribute it partly to setbacks in the measles vaccination program. The exact number of deaths has not been specified by the ministry, but reports describe hundreds of children among the fatalities.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that can cause severe complications, especially in young children. Health authorities are urging vaccination to prevent further spread, but access to immunization has been disrupted, leaving many children vulnerable.