, May 8 -- Dhaka division has accounted for half of the total deaths reported across the country from measles and similar symptoms this year, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Since March 15, a total of 336 children have died from measles and symptoms consistent with the highly contagious yet preventable disease nationwide, with 168 deaths reported in Dhaka division alone, representing 50 percent of the total fatalities, shows the data released by the DGHS on Thursday.

Of the deaths recorded in Dhaka, 38 were confirmed as measles-related, while the remaining 130 were classified as suspected.

The DGHS data also shows that the division recorded 20,581 suspected measles cases and 4,177 confirmed infections. ...