Dengue claims 17 lives, 2,308 more hospitalised

Staff Reporter :
Despite taking various measures by the concerned authorities, the death toll in dengue fever and spread of the mosquito-borne fatal disease are on the rise across the country.

The country recorded seventeen more deaths from dengue in 24 hours till Thursday morning, raising the fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease in Bangladesh to 593 this year, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

DGHS data showed that 2, 308 more patients were hospitalised with the viral fever during the period.

Among them the new patients, 950 were admitted to hospitals in Dhaka and the rest outside it, the DGHS data said.

The data showed that a total of 8, 378 dengue patients, including 3, 817 in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country.

So far, the DGHS has recorded 1, 23808 dengue cases, 11, 4837 recoveries in this year.

As per the data, 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.

According to health experts, the vector-borne disease hit Dhaka city in 2000 subsequently the dengue positive cases were detected in Dhaka city only.

But the dengue disease is changing its nature and it is gradually spreading across the country, they said, adding all 64 districts of the country have witnessed dengue positive cases.

July alone recorded 43,854 dengue positive cases with 204 deaths, the DGHS statement read.

Talking to journalists, several entomologists said that dengue by now emerged as an epidemic as it spread all over the country but observed that the concerned agencies, particularly city corporations could not take required steps to annihilate mosquitoes.

According to hospital authorities, the pressure of dengue patients has decreased slightly in healthcare facilities in Dhaka city, meaning the dengue situation is on a decreasing trend in the capital city, while the number of dengue cases is increasing outside Dhaka city.