Staff Reporter :
Health authorities on Wednesday reported 430 new cases of dengue across the country in last 24 hours till 6am underscoring the continued onslaught of the mosquito-borne viral disease.
Officials said that the highest concentration of fresh patients was recorded in the southwestern Barishal division, which has recently emerged as a new hotspot of dengue outbreaks. According to the latest update from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), of the 430 new cases, 120 patients were hospitalised in different health facilities of Barishal division alone.
Chattogram division recorded 73 cases, while 67 patients were admitted to hospitals across Dhaka division excluding the capital. Inside Dhaka city, 64 patients were admitted under Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and another 37 under Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC). Meanwhile, Khulna division recorded 26 new patients, Mymensingh seven, Rajshahi 31, and Rangpur five.
With these fresh numbers, the dengue burden in 2025 has risen sharply. Since the beginning of the year, the viral disease has already claimed 118 lives while a total of 29,944 people have been infected across Bangladesh. The DGHS warned that the spread has become more diverse this year, with several divisions outside Dhaka reporting rising hospitalisation rates, particularly in Barishal and Rajshahi.
Comparisons with the previous year it further highlights the alarming trend. In 2024, dengue caused 575 deaths nationwide while infecting more than 1,01,000 people, the highest-ever figures since the disease became endemic in Bangladesh.
The peak season of July to October had pushed hospitals to the brink, with limited bed capacity and shortages of medical staff posing serious challenges to patient management. Experts had repeatedly cautioned that unless year-round vector control measures were strictly enforced, the crisis would likely reappear with equal or greater intensity in subsequent years.
Unfortunately, this year’s pattern seems to confirm those warnings. Epidemiologists note that dengue is no longer confined to Dhaka city, which was traditionally considered the epicenter. The Barishal division, particularly, has seen an unusual spike in cases, suggesting that Aedes mosquito breeding has expanded to semi-urban and rural areas due to stagnant water, poor drainage, and inadequate waste management. Heavy monsoon rainfall coupled with irregular anti-mosquito drives has exacerbated the problem.
Public health officials have renewed calls for coordinated efforts between city corporations, local governments, and communities to control mosquito breeding grounds. Fogging and larvicide spraying, while ongoing in several areas, have been deemed insufficient without public participation in keeping households and neighborhoods free of stagnant water.
Experts further warned that the clinical profile of dengue patients this year is showing a higher proportion of severe cases, particularly among children and elderly individuals with comorbidities. Hospitals have been advised to remain on alert and ensure sufficient supply of intravenous fluids, blood products, and trained staff for critical care management.
As the monsoon continues, health authorities fear that the number of cases could rise further in the coming weeks. Citizens have been urged to seek immediate medical attention if they develop symptoms such as persistent fever, severe headache, vomiting, abdominal pain, or bleeding manifestations.
Bangladesh, battling dengue for nearly two decades now, faces an uphill challenge to curb the outbreak in 2025. Without sustained year-round vector control, improved drainage systems, and effective public awareness campaigns, experts warn that dengue could remain one of the most pressing public health threats in the country for years to come.
