Dengue claimed at least 20 lives over last 12 days

The dengue outbreak is becoming deadlier with at least 5,200 hospitalisations and 20 deaths from the mosquito-borne disease reported in the first 13 days of this month.

The government recorded 6,521 dengue cases and 27 deaths throughout last month.

This year, 18,041 dengue patients were hospitalised across the country and almost two thirds of them were from outside the capital, the health directorate said.

Inadequate mosquito-killing activities, surveillance and awareness are the main reasons why more people are getting infected outside Dhaka, experts said.

Unless urgent steps are taken, the situation will be worse, they added.

So far this year, the disease borne by Aedes mosquitoes has claimed 103 lives, and at least 10,154 were admitted to hospitals outside Dhaka.

Of the total cases, 61.9 percent of the patients are male and the rest are female. Of those who died, 51.5 percent are female, according to DGHS data.

Moreover, 2,613 patients are aged 21 to 25, 2,440 are aged 26 to 30, and 2,227 are 16 to 20.

Ten patients died in each of 06-10 and 46-50 age groups.

Entomologist Monzur A Chowhdury said corruption and lack of initiatives in lean season were responsible for the rising number of cases in Dhaka and elsewhere.

In the lean season, meaning November to February, fewer people are infected by the virus. If the authorities identify the homes of those patients and thoroughly rid those of mosquitos and the breeding spots, then there will be fewer dengue cases throughout the rest of the year.

“The authorities ignore this suggestion every year,” he said.

The current outbreak can be tackled only through identifying the hotspots and taking measures, he added.

Pointing out the limitations of the database on dengue, Monzur said the DGHS data is sourced only from 81 district and division-level hospitals.

But dengue patients are treated at over 16,000 public and private hospitals, clinics, and other facilities, said the former president of Zoological Society of Bangladesh.

Without proper data, the preventive steps will always remain ineffective.

Prof Kabirul Bashar, an entomologist at Jahangirnagar University, said, “Leadership is important in anti-mosquito campaigns. But there is no mayor. Since dengue has now spread to union parishad areas, local government bodies will have to be prepared to curb the Aedes population. Equipment, logistics, and necessary training will be required.”

The local government bodies must be equipped to act and the government should provide the funds.

Raising awareness, organising anti-mosquito campaigns, and implementing compulsory measures such as dengue testing, and ensuring hospitalisation of individuals experiencing a second infection are crucial, he added.

Entomologist GM Saifur Rahman said the absence of surveillance in district towns was a major failure on the part of the authorities.

“The government must have effective surveillance to identify dengue hotspots. This will enable the local government departments, community organisations, and educational institutions to conduct targeted interventions,” he said.

After the fall of the Awami League government in early August, 12 city corporation mayors, 330 municipality mayors and administrators, almost all the zilla and upazila parishad chairmen were removed.

The interim government then appointed administrators to carry out the responsibilities of the mayors.