WHO urges swift action as dengue cases surge in Bangladesh

Staff Reporter :
Bangladesh reported more 14 deaths from dengue in 24 hours till Saturday morning, raising the fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease in Bangladesh to 387 in 2023.

During the period, 2,432 more patients were hospitalised with the viral fever, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Of the new patients, 940 were admitted to hospitals in Dhaka and the rest outside it, according to DGHS.

A total of 9,830 dengue patients, including 4,423 in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country.

So far, the DGHS has recorded 82,506 dengue cases, 72,289 recoveries.

The country logged 281 dengue deaths in 2022 – the highest on record after 179 deaths recorded in 2019. Also, it recorded 62,423 dengue cases and 61,971 recoveries last year.

Meanwhile, The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged Bangladesh authorities to take “swift action” as dengue cases are rising by the day.

A significant surge in dengue fever cases has gripped Bangladesh, the UN health agency reported on Friday, calling for efforts to control the mosquito vector population and minimize individual exposure such as using mosquito repellents and wearing long-sleeved clothes.

The outbreak, which escalated rapidly since late June, has seen a total of 80,074 confirmed cases and 373 related deaths between January 1 and Friday (August 11), with a case fatality rate of 0.47%, according to the UN health agency. The cases were reported from all 64 districts in the country.

In July alone, 43,854 cases and 204 deaths were reported, accounting for 63% of the total cases and 62% of the deaths. The sharp increase in numbers is unprecedented compared to the past five years, emphasizing the gravity of the ongoing outbreak.

“The higher incidence of dengue is taking place in the context of an unusual episodic amount of rainfall, combined with high temperatures and high humidity, which have resulted in an increased mosquito population throughout Bangladesh,” WHO said.
The UN on its website ran a report on the situation.