The government has instructed all public hospitals to increase bed capacity for dengue patients and is considering setting up field hospitals to cope with the growing number of patients.
Bangla Tribune reported, citing a senior official of the Health Services Division, that the dengue hotspot areas are being prioritised for additional beds.
However, he said the field hospital plan is still under discussion.
The dengue situation is worsening rapidly, with hospital admissions rising each day. According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), 1,902 new dengue patients were admitted in the 24 hours to Monday, while nine people died.
Experts said the growing number of cases is not the only concern, as the infection trend suggests the situation could worsen further.
The year’s figures show a sharp rise in hospitalisations. A total of 2,907 dengue patients were admitted in June, 9,206 in July, 20,536 in August and 43,774 in September, the highest monthly figure so far this year.
September’s admissions were 15.06 times higher than those recorded in June.
According to DGHS data, 88,360 dengue patients were hospitalised between January and October 5, compared with 48,491 during the same period last year, an increase of nearly 82%.
Deaths have also risen sharply, from 13 in June to 36 in July, 43 in August and 148 in September.
A total of 271 people have died from dengue so far this year, compared with 202 during the same period last year.
Sources said a meeting was held at the Ministry of Health on Sunday to assess the dengue situation. Following the meeting, authorities discussed measures to ease pressure on hospitals, including increasing bed capacity and setting up field hospitals.
In May, authorities took steps to establish a field hospital inside the Dhaka Medical College compound to deal with a measles outbreak. A 20-bed facility was set up with support from the Bangladesh Army.
Dhaka Medical College authorities are now considering reopening the facility to help manage the rising number of dengue patients.
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