Dengue toll hits 82, 839 hospitalised in a day
Five more people have died from dengue in Bangladesh in the 24 hours to 8:00am on Sunday, taking the death toll from the mosquito-borne disease to 82 this year, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
During the same period, 839 new dengue patients have been admitted to hospitals across the country, reflecting a continued rise in dengue infections.
The latest figures bring the total number of dengue patients hospitalised since 1 January to 28,929. Of them, 26,896 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals, while 1,951 patients are currently receiving treatment at different hospitals across the country.
The five latest deaths have been reported in Dhaka division, including Dhaka South City Corporation, and Mymensingh division, according to the DGHS.
The distribution of the 839 newly hospitalised patients shows that dengue transmission is being recorded across several parts of the country.
The highest number of new admissions is reported in Khulna division, with 159 patients. Dhaka division outside the city corporations records 135 cases, while Barishal reports 117 and Chattogram 100.
Mymensingh records 79 new patients, followed by Dhaka South City Corporation with 91 and Dhaka North City Corporation with 61. Rajshahi reports 71 new admissions, Rangpur 23 and Sylhet three.
The monthly figures also show a sharp increase in dengue cases in August. A total of 13,619 patients have been hospitalised with dengue so far this month, making August the month with the highest number of cases recorded this year. In July, 9,206 dengue patients were hospitalised.
According to the DGHS data, men account for 61.9 per cent of all dengue patients recorded this year, while women account for 38.1 per cent. However, women represent a higher share of dengue-related deaths, accounting for 59.3 per cent of the 82 fatalities, compared with 40.7 per cent for men.
The figures come as dengue cases continue to rise across the country, with hospitals treating nearly 2,000 patients at present. The latest DGHS report indicates that the outbreak remains a significant public health concern as the number of new admissions and fatalities continues to increase.
