By Firstdespatch Desk May 23, 2026
Agartala, May 22 (FD) With cases of Measles and Rubella rising sharply in neighboring Bangladesh along with an increasing death toll, the Unakoti district administration has initiated preventive measures to safeguard residents from any possible outbreak of the two diseases in the district.
Speaking to the media at her office chamber, Unakoti District Magistrate Megha Jain said that the overall situation in the district remains stable and under control. However, she emphasized that the administration is taking no chances in view of the alarming health situation across the international border.
“We are not taking any risk as Bangladesh has already been severely affected by Measles. We have identified a section of children in Unakoti district who are yet to receive the Measles vaccine. A special vaccination drive will be launched within the next few days, under which all unvaccinated children up to the age of ten years will be administered vaccines to protect them from possible Measles and Rubella infections,” the District Magistrate said.
She also appealed to the public not to panic over reports of Measles and Rubella infections and urged parents to remain vigilant. The District Magistrate advised people to immediately contact the nearest health centre if children develop symptoms such as red rashes on the body or high fever. She assured that the district administration would spare no effort in preventing any outbreak of Measles and Rubella in the district.
The press conference was also attended by NHM Joint Managing Director Dr Nupur Debbarma, World Health Organisation representative Dr Randip Saha and Unakoti Chief Medical Officer Dr Sandipan Bhattacharjee.
Meanwhile, reports from Bangladesh have highlighted the severity of the Measles outbreak in the country. According to available reports, at least 512 people, mostly children, have died due to Measles infections, while 426 more suspected cases have been reported across the country. In addition, Bangladesh health authorities have recorded 8,494 confirmed infections and nearly 62,000 suspected cases over the past few months.
Alarmed by the developments, the Tripura Health Department has also started taking precautionary measures to prevent any possible outbreak of Measles and Rubella in the state. FD JK