DGHS rings dengue alarm bell

The health authorities have suggested preparing more hospitals for dengue treatment as infections and deaths are rising fast in the country, especially in Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar, with eight more deaths in the 24 hours till Thursday morning.

So far, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has detected the highest number of dengue cases in Cox’s Bazar during the current season, Prof Dr Ahmedul Kabir, DGHS additional director general (administration), said Thursday.

“The highest number of 48 dengue patients have died within three days of hospitalization, 18 died within three to six days while six patients died within six to nine days, and three in nine to 30 days," he said at a press briefing over the overall dengue situation at Mohakhali in the capital.

He added that the number of deaths is high outside Dhaka; most people died three days after hospitalization, UNB reported.

Dengue infections are highest among people aged over 20 years, while the death toll is high among people from 40-50 years, Prof Dr Kabir said.

He said that the DGHS is conducting a training program alongside an awareness-raising program about dengue.

Till Thursday, the DGHS recorded 22,517 cases this year, while the number was 28,429 last year and 1,405 in 2020. 

In 2019, a record 1,001,354 dengue cases were reported across the country.

In the Dhaka city corporation area, 16,762 people have been infected so far, and 497 were hospitalized in the 24 hours till Thursday morning.

Meanwhile, the death toll from the mosquito-borne disease in Bangladesh rose to 75.

In 2019, at least 179 people died from dengue, seven died in 2020 and 105 died in 2021.