1 death, 477 hospitalised

Staff Reporter :

Hospitals across Bangladesh have admitted 477 dengue patients in the latest 24-hour count, taking the tally of infections with the Aedes mosquito-borne disease since Jan 1 to 54, 702.

The death toll rose to 269 as the disease claimed another life in this period, the Directorate General of Health Services, or DGHS, said on Friday. Among the new dengue patients hospitalised until morning, 228 were in the capital.

In addition, 114 were hospitalised in the Dhaka Division, 12 in the Mymensingh Division, 39 in the Chattogram Division, 33 in the Khulna Division, 19 in the Rajshahi Division, five in Rangpur Division, two in the Sylhet Division, and 25 in the Barishal Division.

On Friday morning, a total of 3,786 dengue patients were receiving treatment at hospitals across the country. They included 1,827 in Dhaka and 1959 outside the capital.

The DGHS has been keeping records of dengue hospitalisations and deaths since 2000. Over the past two months, we have consistently reported on the dengue crisis and published numerous editorials highlighting areas that need to be addressed to check dengue infections.

Unfortunately, all such discussions seem to have gone unheard. While we understand that the void in local government institutions following the Awami League’s fall may have impacted dengue control initiatives, it is unacceptable that the situation has not improved even with new administrators appointed to these bodies, among other measures taken to revitalise them.

The lack of mosquito control measures by the relevant authorities has directly contributed to the rise in fatalities.