Dengue Cases: Hospitalisations cross 6,000 mark

With 198 new hospitalisations in the last 24 hours till 8am yesterday, the number of dengue cases has crossed the 6,000 mark, indicating a fast rise of the disease.

A total of 6,100 dengue patients have been admitted to different hospitals across the country this year so far, data of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) shows. Of the total infected, 308 were from outside Dhaka.

At least 3,442 people have been hospitalised in the current month so far, while 2,286 were admitted to hospitals in July, and 272 in June, while 43 were infected in May, according to DGHS.

Although most patients who were hospitalised have been released, 1,049 are still undergoing treatment at hospitals in Dhaka and 89 outside the capital, DGHS data shows.

Experts warned that if authorities concerned and citizens do not take necessary steps to destroy mosquito breeding spots, there is a chance that dengue cases may increase fast. If that happens, the situation would be worse than previous years, because health services are already strained due to the pandemic.

According to DGHS, 1,01,354 cases and 179 deaths were recorded in Bangladesh in 2019.

The dengue virus was first reported in Bangladesh in 2000. It claimed 93 lives, while 5,551 were infected that year.