DHAKA: Bangladesh's deadliest measles outbreak in decades is nearing the grim milestone of 1,000 deaths, as a devastating epidemic sweeps through the country and crowded hospital wards fill with struggling babies.

Cries of sick children and the hiss of oxygen machines fill the air at Dhaka's Shishu Hospital, where Rima Akter keeps a vigil beside her nine-month-old son.

"Just an hour ago, a child died, and they wheeled him out in front of us," 30-year-old Akter told AFP on Thursday (Sep 3). "We saw two children die today."

Akter's son Sabit Haque is one of scores filling the children's hospital's measles wards.

At least 986 people have died since March in confirmed measles cases or with measles-like symptoms, while the combined number of suspected and confirmed cases has surged past 180,000, according to the latest health ministry figures.

Measles is highly contagious, spreading through coughs and sneezes, and has no specific treatment once caught.

Complications can include brain swelling and severe breathing problems. Although anyone can catch the disease, young children are particularly vulnerable.

The South Asian nation of 170 million has rolled out a mass vaccination drive to combat the outbreak, but case numbers continue to climb.

More than 1,000 suspected cases are reported daily.

“VERY WEAK”

"I've been running to and from multiple hospitals since July to get my son the proper treatment," said Sanjana Islam Modina, 19, cradling her six-month-old son Ayan, who has an oxygen tube fixed to his nose.

Small dark spots covered Ayan's head, fading from the angry red rash left by measles.

He was first admitted to hospital with pneumonia in July, then contracted measles before finally securing a bed at the capital's specialised children's hospital in mid-August.

Ayan spent 15 days in intensive care, before improving enough to return to the dedicated measles ward.

The hospital currently has 101 children admitted with suspected or confirmed measles.

"His lungs were already very weak from the pneumonia, then with measles his breathing was affected more," Modina told AFP, while trying to soothe her wailing baby.

"He's been on oxygen constantly for the last five days."

Most cases recorded in Bangladesh during the current outbreak have been among children aged between six months and five years.

Doctors say many of the children arriving at hospital are already critically ill, with malnutrition further weakening their ability to fight the virus.

Ayan has also been diagnosed as malnourished.

"The doctors gave my son a special milk specifically designed for malnourished children," said Modina, wiping sweat from his tiny forehead.

“DEVASTATING”

The outbreak has exposed gaps in Bangladesh's efforts to protect its youngest.

SM Ziauddin Hyder, special assistant to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman for health, called the outbreak "devastating".

Bangladesh had previously made major advances in vaccination against infectious diseases, but a measles vaccination campaign planned for 2024 was not carried out amid political unrest and subsequent operational and administrative delays.

Workers' strikes and political instability also disrupted vaccination activities and contributed to delays in the campaign.

The country has since rolled out a mass vaccination drive to combat the outbreak, but the number of cases continues to climb.

"There was a gap of a significant number of children missing the doses," Hyder said.

"Healthcare workers ... are vaccinating these children to close the gap."

Mahmudur Rahman, an epidemiologist and former director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), said Bangladesh should consider a broader vaccination campaign to contain the outbreak.