70 died of cold-related diseases in Rangpur div in last two weeks

Staff Reporter :
About 70 people mostly children and elderly died of cold related diseases in the last two weeks in the eight districts of Rangpur division while hundred others were being admitted in different hospitals and clinics.
The hospital authorities are struggling to accommodate the surge of patents against the capacity and to provide treatment.
Under the blanket of thick fogs and spell of cold waves, people across the country especially the northern parts have been experiencing icy cold as the rays of the sun are not visible at day time while the temperature keep sliding at night.
People in the capital also on Wednesday felt the cool air and fogs as the day was without sun, leaving the poor people and day labourers to suffer.
Apart from this, heavy fogs disrupted flight operations at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. Flights of seven airlines delayed their operations for heavy fogs. It causes sufferings of the passengers waiting for hours at the domestic and international airports.
Amid such weather condition, Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) on Wednesday reported that moderate to severe cold condition was likely to continue over the north, north-western, and central parts of the country.
The weather may remain dry with a temporary partly cloudy sky over the country, BMD reported. The Met office forecast that such weather may continue for two or three days in different parts of the country and the temperature will be between 14-25 degrees celcius in the coming days.
The lowest temperature in the country was recorded 9 degree Celsius at Sreemangal Upazila in Moulvibazar while the highest temperature was 28.6 degrees Celsius at Teknaf. Sreemangal logged the lowest temperature for the second day in a row.
BMD said that moderate to thick fog may occur in places including Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Khulna, and Mymensingh divisions.
Meanwhile, the northern district Rangpur has been experiencing severe cold and the huge numbers of patients are taking admission in hospitals and clinics with cold related diseases.
Deputy Director of Rangpur divisional health office Habibur Rahman on January 1 reported that pneumonia claimed 29 lives while diarrhoea killed 25 people till the last week of December 2022.
The deceased were from Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Thakurgaon, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Nilphamari, and Panchagarh.
Rangpur Medical College Hospital sources on Wednesday said that over 300 patients admitted in Children Ward and Burn Unit in the last one week.
Of these patients, 15 new born and young babies died of cold related diseases, while two women died of burn injury when they were basking around fire to get relieve from the biting cold.
The hospital authorities are struggling to accommodate the rising number of patients both children and old people, suffering with pneumonia, diarrhea, respiratory problem, fever and flu.
Daily wage earners and farmers particularly in remote areas of northern districts are suffering a lot due to biting cold.
Authorities have urged all including the affluent class of the society to come forward to provide support to the poor people.