Dengue cases are increasing at an alarming rate in Tangail, with about 40 per cent locally infected.
Tangail General Hospital’s consultant Dr Saiful Islam said more dengue patients are being admitted to the hospital daily.
“While previously most patients were Dhaka returnees, now there are a lot of locally affected patients. Dengue patients are also coming in from rural areas,” he said.
While the majority of dengue patients admitted to the hospitals in Tangail are still those who came from other cities after being infected, many are getting infected with dengue in rural areas of the district, said local sources.
Doctors have expressed concern about the increasing infection rates. The patients are receiving treatment in various upazila health complexes apart from the district town hospitals.
According to local hospital doctors, at least 40 per cent of the dengue patients were infected with dengue locally.
Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Tangail sources said, 126 people have been infected with dengue in the district this year. Among them, 100 people have recovered with treatment and 26 patients are under treatment in government hospitals.
Tangail’s Civil Surgeon Dr Md Minhaj Uddin said various measures are being taken to prevent a dengue outbreak.
“Dengue detection kits are being ensured in every upazila health complex of the district. Doctors have been given instructions for treatment. I hope everyone will cooperate in this regard,” he said.
Other than the district town, most dengue cases have been detected in Nagarpur upazila, where 42 people were diagnosed with dengue.
However, this correspondent could not find any official count of dengue patients being admitted and treated at Sheikh Hasina Medical College and Hospital (SHMCS) while visiting the facility.
According to the on-duty nurses in two wards at SHMCS, 33 people were treated for dengue in the past six weeks months at the hospital.
Many patients at both Sadar Hospital and SHMCS said they have contracted dengue locally.
Farmer Abdul Karim of Malancha village of Tangail Sadar upazila’s Magra Union contracted dengue locally as he had not been out of town.
“I took over-the-counter medicine for a week when got affected by a fever earlier this month. My family brought me to the hospital where I was diagnosed with dengue. I am glad other members of my family did not contract dengue from me,” he said.
Rumaiya, a student of Dhaka University, is being treated for dengue at Tangail General Hospital. She came to her hometown in Tangail’s Santosh after getting infected in Dhaka.
“I was taking fever reducers but when the fever did not relieve after five days, I got tested. I came back to my hometown so my family could take care of me,” she said, adding that after a week of treatment, she is now somewhat recovered.
Businessman Shafiqul Islam of Elenga area of Kalihati upazila was admitted to the General Hospital on July 15 with a fever which was later detected to be dengue.
“I have not been out of town recently, so I was probably infected locally. Many others in my area also got fevers and recovered with primary treatment. But I do not know if they also had dengue,” he said.
In this regard, the supervisor of Tangail General Hospital, Dr Khandaker Sadekur Rahman, said the number of dengue patients is currently increasing in the district.
“But there is nothing to panic about. In addition to being aware of dengue prevention, people’s homes and surroundings should be kept clean of accumulated water so that dengue cannot spread,” he said.
He added that the main symptoms of dengue patients are severe fever, head, body and bone aches. He advised to come to the hospital immediately if symptoms appear.
