Dengue death toll crosses 200 this year

Staff Reporter :

The number of deaths from dengue fever in Bangladesh crossed 200 on Friday, according to data from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Two more fatalities were reported within the last 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 201 this year.

During the same period, 490 new dengue patients were hospitalised, with 121 of them admitted to hospitals under Dhaka North City Corporation and 104 under Dhaka South City Corporation.

Currently, 3,522 patients are receiving treatment for the mosquito-borne viral fever in hospitals across the country. Since January 1, 2024, a total of 40,895 dengue cases have been reported.

In 2023, dengue caused the highest number of fatalities on record, with 1,705 deaths and 321,179 reported cases. Experts have expressed growing concern over the escalating dengue burden in recent years, describing it as a severe public health crisis in Bangladesh. Studies have critically analysed factors contributing to this rise and proposed strategies for more effective control of the disease.

Dengue-related deaths have significantly increased in Bangladesh since 2021. The country recorded the highest number of fatalities in 2023, with 1,705 deaths that surpassed the total number of dengue-related deaths from 2000 to 2022, which stood at 853. When compared with other dengue-endemic countries, Bangladesh has reported higher fatality rates over the last three years.

In addition to environmental and viral factors, experts have raised concerns about the mismanagement of dengue cases and failures in properly addressing the outbreak.