Dengue cases cross 18,000 mark this year

At least two more dengue patients died while 217 patients were hospitalised in the last 24 hours till 8:00 am today, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Of the new cases, only 43 are from outside Dhaka.

For the first time this year, the number of dengue infections in the country crossed the 18,000 mark.

With the new cases, a total of 7,651 were diagnosed during September. Of the total infected, 2,272 are from outside Dhaka.

At least 7,698 were hospitalised in August, 2,286 patients in July, 272 in June, and 43 in May while the rest were admitted to the hospitals between January and April, according to the DGHS.

A total of 67 people have died of dengue infection in the country this year. Twelve people died on July, 34 have died in August, and 21 in September so far.

Among the deaths, 62 have died in the Dhaka division, two in Chattogram and Khulna division each, and one in the Rajshahi division.

Though most of the patients who were hospitalised have so far been released, 983 are still undergoing treatment at hospitals in Dhaka, and 207 outside the capital, the DGHS data shows.