Cases of dengue hospitalisation cross 5,000 mark

The number of dengue patients hospitalised in the country this year crossed the 5,000-mark yesterday.

At least 213 people with dengue fever were admitted to hospitals across the country in 24 hours till 8am yesterday, of which only 25 are from outside Dhaka, according to Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

With them, a total of 5,192 patients have been diagnosed with dengue this year, DGHS data shows. Of the total infected, only 239 are from outside Dhaka.

Among 5,192 infected, 2,534 were diagnosed in the running month till yesterday morning.

At least 2,286 people were hospitalised in different hospitals across the country in July, while 272 were hospitalised in June and 43 in May.

Although most patients who were hospitalised have been released, 907 are still undergoing treatment at hospitals across the country, 66 of whom are from outside the capital, the DGHS data shows.

Meanwhile, Local Government Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Md Tazul Islam at a meeting said they are trying to control Aedes mosquitoes, the carriers of dengue and chikungunya, in an integrated way.

Stressing the need for raising awareness, he warned that more than 10 lakh people in the world are infected by the dengue virus every year, and it is not only a challenge for Bangladesh but for the world as well.

According to the data of July, 37,000 people were diagnosed with dengue in Vietnam, 31,000 in the Philippines, 15,000 in Malaysia and 3,500 in Singapore.

He said 20 magistrates of two city corporations in Dhaka are conducting mobile court drives in this regard.

Meanwhile, Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh yesterday said, "We will be able to bring relief from the dengue virus through our operation."

Speaking as chief guest at a programme at Khilgaon, he said they have been astonished seeing Aedes mosquito larvae in different houses.

Due to negligence of city dwellers, many small pots and containers are becoming mosquito breeding grounds, he claimed.

"We have conducted mobile court drives in around 8,000 houses, but we are not getting informed residents. We particularly found breeding spots at different rooftop gardens," the mayor said.

He called upon citizens to provide them information about breeding grounds of Aedes mosquitoes, so that authorities can destroy them.

Taposh said a workforce of around a thousand are working to destroy breeding spots from morning to evening.