The number of patients infected with dengue is five times higher than in the previous year in the past five months, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said on Monday.
"A total of 1704 people have been infected with dengue in the past five months till May 28 and during this period 13 people have died," he said at a press briefing on Covid-19 vaccine at the Secretariat.
Earlier on Sunday, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said that the country may witness a massive outbreak of dengue this year as heavy rainfall is occurring this summer.
In this regard, the minister said that the DGHS has taken steps to control dengue as the authorities concerned are conducting dengue surveys and reports of the survey have been submitted to the two city corporations.
Already a separate ward and corner has been created for dengue patients in hospitals and 2500 physicians and nurses were given training to tackle dengue, he added.
"We have engaged different people, including teachers, students and military personnel, to make people aware about dengue. Already, steps have been taken to make people aware through posters, banners and advertisements on television," he was quoted as saying by UNB.
He also urged all to keep their respective houses clean, keep spraying chemicals for eliminating mosquitoes and maintain a healthy life.
Talking about the Covid-19 vaccine, the minister said already 30 lakh doses of variant containing vaccines (VCV) under Covax facilities have reached Bangladesh and will be administered as 3rd and 4th doses to people from this week in all city corporations, districts, upazilas and municipality levels across the country, he said.
About 88.51% people have been brought under the first dose, 82.18 % under the second dose, 39.62% under the third dose and 1.85% under the fourth dose, said Maleque.
There are no side effects in VCV vaccination and the World Health Organisation (WHO) also gave a positive opinion about it, claimed the minister.
The third dose will be administered to people above 18 years of age while the fourth dose will be given to people above 60 years or people who have been suffering from long-term diseases, pregnant women and frontline fighters, he said.
The third dose will be given after four months of receiving the second dose while the fourth dose will be given four months after receiving the third dose, he added.
In 2022, a total of 281 people died of dengue infection while another 101 died in 2021. In 2020 and 2019 a total of 179 people died. Last year, a record 62,282 persons were infected with the disease.
This year, the number of dengue patients in the hospital increased prior to the rainy season. The Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar have been hit hard by dengue, with 1,066 cases reported this year.