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The number of deaths caused by respiratory tract infections in the country has hit a record high of 106 this winter season, according to the official data.
The number of deaths has increased three times during the period between November 15 last year and February 15 this year compared to the same period of 2015, the data showed.
The Health Emergency Operation Centre and Control Room of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) usually collect the data on respiratory infections and deaths from November 15 to February 15 every year.
Experts and district level health officials said that air pollution, less capability of the children to adapt to changing temperatures and poverty lead the country to this horrible situation.
The data showed that some 106 people, mostly children, died from acute respiratory infections (ARI) this winter season while 83,371 people were infected with diseases during the period.
Even though the country saw 70,416 infections during the three-month period of 2021, the number of cases came down to 55,499 in 2022, but jumped to 83,371 this year. Also the number of deaths went up by 74 per cent from 61 last year to 106 this year.
However, the number of cases and deaths were lower in 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 due to outbreak of Covid-19, according to sources in DGHS control room.
In 2015, some 19,844 people were infected with ARI and 38 of them died, according to the data.
The highest number of deaths (52) has been recorded in Cox’s Bazar this year, followed by Mymensingh (28) and Khagrachari (19).
However, the data did not include deaths in Dhaka city as both the city corporations are authorised to do.
DGHS sources said that during the winter season people especially children in the country generally suffer from diseases like cold, pneumonia, diarrhoea, asthma, tonsillitis, respiratory tract infection and bronchiolitis.
Among them, respiratory tract infection and diarrhoea are most deadly. Officials said the number would have been much higher if the deaths are reported properly across the country.
Dr Md Zahidul Islam, deputy programme manager of e-Health under MIS of DGHS, declined to make any comment on the categories of ages and respiratory tract infections as they have not analysed it yet.
Sources in MIS said that most of the deaths are from infant and children age groups.
Civil Surgeon (CS) of Cox’s Bazar Dr Mahbubur Rahman said that the number of deaths seems unvarying to him although Cox’s Bazar saw the highest deaths among all the districts of the country.
“As a good number of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and international NGOs are working in the district, deaths are reported properly that generally goes missing in many districts,” he said.
Civil Surgeon of Mymensingh Dr Md Nazrul Islam told the Business Post that lower respiratory tract infection (LRI) is deadlier than upper respiratory tract infection (URI) as it tends to infect lungs as well.
“We have observed that most of the deaths are from poorer sections of rural areas or from city slum areas,” he added.
While explaining the cause, he said this year temperature changes frequently. And the adaptation capability of the children during daytime is compromised and low in nature. So, they failed to cope with and any reluctance brought in worse results, the health official said from his experience.
Echoing with Dr Nazrul, infectious disease expert Prof Dr Be-Nazir Ahmed said that children's tolerance of temperature changes are not the same as elders and so, they are the ultimate sufferers.
This is why more attention should be given to the children, he said, adding that if any child is found to be infected with pneumonia or respiratory tract infection, they should be taken to a hospital having an oxygen supply system installed. Besides, minor symptoms of cold diseases should not be overlooked to keep the baby healthy.
Virologist and advisor of Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) Mushtaq Hussain pointed to air pollution as the major reason for ARI.
“During the Covid-19 pandemic, respiratory infections came down significantly. In a country where air quality is deteriorating and people are inhaling lead from air, wearing masks and following health rules applied during Covid-19 outbreak would be an ultimate cure,” he opined.
