Dengue fatality exceeds 500 with 13 more deaths

Staff Reporter :
The country recorded over 500 dengue fatalities with 13 more deaths in 24 hours till Wednesday morning.

As per the data released by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease in Bangladesh, has reached to 506.

The DGHS data showed also that 2,070 more patients were hospitalised with the viral fever during the period.

Among the new patients, 857 were admitted to hospitals in Dhaka and the rest outside the capital as the DGHS data.

A total of 7,825 dengue patients, including 3,580 in Dhaka, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country.

The DGHS has recorded 1,06, 429 dengue cases, 98,098 recoveries this year.

The country recorded 281 dengue deaths in 2022 – the highest on record after 179 deaths logged in 2019.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said on Wednesday that the World Bank (WB) will provide Bangladesh with $100 million to contain dengue which spread hazardously across the country.

The Health Minister made the announcement during a media briefing after a meeting with the WB representatives at the Secretariat in Dhaka.

“Dengue should be brought under control.

The World Bank will provide $100 million to curb the mosquito borne disease. They will provide this fund to the Ministry of Local Government to eliminate mosquitoes,” he said.

“We are offering the services whatever is possible to the dengue patients, there are many patients in hospitals.

Some 500 people have died and over one lakh people have been infected,” Zahid Maleque said.

“The death and number of dengue patients would not decrease if mosquitoes do not come under control,” the minister said.

Addressing the need for escalating activities by city corporations and municipalities to handle dengue, he said 500 people have died of dengue as the situation could not be brought under control.

He said the effect of the dengue is more in Bangladesh than that of neighbouring countries and the ministry is trying to offer services to the people.

Besides, the health minister said that the WB managed $550 million, and of the amount $100 million will be given to the Health Ministry for urban health.

Moreover, an amount of $700 million will be given for Rohingya and the host community for the use of infrastructures and services, he said, adding that the budget will get approved in the Board Meeting at the end of August.