The number of patients, infected with dengue, is five times higher than the previous year in the past five months, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Monday.
“A total of 1,704 people have been infected with dengue in the past five months till May 28 and during this period 13 people died,” he said while speaking at a press briefing over the Covid-19 vaccine at the secretariat.
The Director General of Health Services has taken steps to control dengue as the authorities concerned are conducting dengue surveys and reports of the survey have been submitted to the two city corporations, he said.
Already a separate ward and corner has been created for dengue patients in hospitals and 2,500 physicians and nurses were given training to tackle dengue, he added.
“We have engaged different people including teachers, students and military personnel to make people aware of dengue. Already, steps have been taken to make people aware through posters, banners and advertisements on televisions.”
He also urged all to keep their respective houses clean, keep spraying chemicals for eliminating mosquitoes and maintain a healthy life.
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Talking about the Covid-19 vaccine, the minister said already 30 lakh doses of variant containing vaccines (VCV) under COVAX facilities reached Bangladesh and it will be administered as the third and fourth dose to the people from this week in all city corporations, districts, upazilas and municipality levels across the country.
About 88.51 per cent of people have been brought under the first dose, 82.18 per cent under the second dose, 39.62 per cent under the third dose, and 1.85 per cent under the fourth dose, Maleque said.
There are no side effects in VCV vaccination and the World Health Organization (WHO) also gave a positive opinion about it, claimed the minister.
The third dose will be administered to people above 18 years while the fourth dose will be given to people above 60 years or people who have been suffering from long-term diseases, pregnant women and frontline fighters, he said.
The third dose will be given after four months of receiving the second dose while the fourth dose will be given four months after receiving the third dose, he added.
Prof Abul Bashar Mohammed Khurshid Alam, director general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Nazmul Haque Khan, additional secretary (hospital) and high officials of the ministry were present there.
