Home ›› 11 Oct 2021 ›› Front
The number of dengue patients admitted in different hospitals across the country has reached 20,129 this year.
The Directorate General of Health Services on Sunday further revealed that at least 76 people have died of the mosquito-borne viral disease so far, including three who died in the span of 24 hours till Sunday 8am.
During this period, at least 211 dengue patients got admitted in different hospitals. Death toll from the disease has already reached the second highest in Bangladesh in the last 18 years.
Speaking to The Business Post, Virologist Manjur A Chowdhury said, “Deaths from dengue are mainly occurring in Dhaka because the authorities concerned have failed to control the aedes mosquito population in time.
“Dengue outbreak began to decrease very slowly from mid-September. Though the infection rate is decreasing, it is still an alarming issue.”
According to DGHS officials, 967 dengue patients are still taking treatment in hospitals across the country, including 164 people in 46 hospitals in the capital. Seven people died from the disease in the last ten days, while 23 died in September, and the highest 34 people in August.
“The DGHS statistics does not reflect the actual dengue situation in Bangladesh as the government agency collects information only from selected hospitals,” commented virologist Manjur A Chowdhury.
The World Bank, in its Climate Afflictions Report 2021, had predicted that the dengue situation will worsen in the coming years due to climate change.
Unveiled on Thursday, the report analysed the 2019 dengue outbreak data and revealed that the highest incidence of vector-borne diseases was recorded in the cities. “Dhaka alone recorded 77 per cent of the deaths in 2019,” it said.
The dengue virus is transmitted by female Aedes mosquitoes and infections usually peak from March till August in the country. However, Bangladesh is experiencing a late surge of the viral fever this year.
Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Md Atiqul Islam on Saturday said the aedes mosquitoes breed in stagnant water in the corners of homes – mainly in the water of flower tubs and other pots inside residences where the city corporation cannot reach.
He said that the city corporation was trying its best to control the mosquito population by spraying insecticides and creating awareness among city dwellers. “Public awareness is the most important factor in controlling dengue,” he said.
According to DGHS data, Bangladesh reported its highest – 179 deaths – from dengue in 2019, when over 1,01,354 patients were hospitalised.
Last year, 1,405 dengue patients were hospitalised, of which 12 died. In 2018, dengue killed 26 and infected 10,148. Bangladesh witnessed no death from the disease between 2007 and 2010. From 2011 to 2017 the death toll did not cross 20.
Bangladesh did not record any dengue cases in 2017, but more than 13,000 people with Chikungunya infection took treatment at hospitals, while many others took treatment at home.
Back in 2000, 93 people died of dengue followed by 44 in 2001 and 58 in 2002. A total of 32 dengue positive cases were registered in January this year, which jumped to 272 in June and rose astronomically to 2,286 by July.
Dengue infection rocketed to 7,698 in August, which remained the same in September as 7,841 people became infected.
