Hospitals Struggling

Many hospitals in the city, including Dhaka Medical College Hospital, are struggling to provide treatment to the rising number of dengue patients due to the shortage of beds.

In scenes reminiscent of the country's worst-ever dengue outbreak in 2019, many patients suffering from dengue fever were seen receiving treatment on the floors and corridors as hospitals run out of beds to accommodate them.

Visiting various areas in the city, the news agency found that hospitals, including Holy Family Hospital, Mugda Medical College and Hospital, Bangladesh Shishu Hospital & Institute, Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Kurmitola General Hospital, are treating patients on the floor as all the beds in their respective wards have been filled with patients affected by the mosquito-borne disease.

However, the number of infections may start to fall in the first week of November, said Dr Nazmul Islam, director of the Disease Control Department of DGHS.

Recently, the number of dengue patients has increased across the country. But the fatalities can be considerably reduced if patients go to doctors at the right time, he said.

He also said dengue fever has increased due to climate change. Besides, due to a lack of awareness, mosquito-borne disease has increased this time.

A total of 123 people have died of dengue till yesterday. Doctors said children are the worst sufferers.

"Creating awareness among people is a must to rein in the dengue menace. We have taken various steps in this regard," Health Minister Zahid Maleque told the news agency.

Dhaka North City Corporation Hospital -- a new unit of BSMMU -- and Lalkuthi Hospital have been kept ready in case of emergency, he added.

The minister said the city corporations and municipalities have been urged to stay vigilant about killing mosquitoes.

If the number of mosquitoes is reduced, the number of patients will automatically decrease resulting in the low pressure of dengue patients in the hospital, the minister observed.

As the number of dengue patients is increasing every day, hospitals are directed to give proper treatment to patients, said Prof Dr Ahmadul Kabir, additional director general of the health department.

"Beds and logistical support will be provided if needed," he added.

Public health expert Dr Mohammad Abdus Sabur Khan said although dengue intensity usually decreases in September, this time the situation has reversed.

"It's October now but dengue is showing no sign of retreating. It seems like dengue will prevail till mid-November this time," Khan said.

Dr Kabirul Bashar, professor of zoology at Jahangirnagar University, said the under-construction buildings are the primary breeding grounds of Aedes mosquitoes and around 40 percent of mosquitoes are bred from such locations.

People should be more aware to stay protected against dengue, Dr Bashar added.

According to the DGHS, 34,822 people have been infected with dengue till yesterday. The number was 28,429 in 2021.

The highest number of people infected by dengue was in 2019 when a staggering 101,354 people were infected with the virus.

Dr ABM Abdullah, an emeritus professor and personal physician of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, provided some guidelines to fight this menace.

"First of all, people infected with dengue have to consult a doctor and start taking medicines according to the prescription," Abdullah said.

"Some people tend to think that a mild fever is of no harm. This line of thinking must be discarded. People suffering from fever must test themselves, and if dengue is identified in someone, he or she has to be admitted to a hospital immediately," he added.