Four more die of dengue

At least four dengue patients died and 153 were hospitalised in the last 24 hours till yesterday morning.

With the new deaths and cases, the total number of deaths rose to 569, while the total number of cases rose to 1,00,711, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Currently, 804 dengue patients are undergoing treatment, of which 486 are from outside Dhaka.

A total of 99,338 patients have been released till yesterday across the country.

As Bangladesh braces for another year with the threat of dengue looming, experts have urged the government to adopt comprehensive and year-round strategies to curb the spread of the mosquito-borne disease.

Experts emphasised the need to be proactive and said waiting until the monsoon season to combat dengue is no longer viable.

Entomologists like Manzur A Chowdhury stress initiating anti-mosquito drives as early as January to eliminate Aedes mosquito populations before they proliferate.

"Authorities must identify dengue hotspots and implement targeted interventions such as larviciding, adulticiding, and public awareness campaigns," said Manzur.

Entomologist Kabirul Bashar of Jahangirnagar University highlighted the urgent need to address issues like inadequate protection for hospitalised patients and the increasing number of cases outside Dhaka.

"The government must strengthen mosquito control efforts in districts like Barishal, Chandpur, Manikganj, and Gazipur, which are likely to see a rise in cases next year," he warned.