Bangladesh has recorded 24 new dengue cases in 24 hours till Sunday morning, the highest number of cases recorded in a single day this year in the country.
Among them, 23 dengue cases were recorded in Dhaka and one in the outer districts, according to data compiled by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The number of new dengue infections has been skyrocketing in Bangladesh recently. Bangladesh recorded nine dengue cases on November 4, 10 cases were recorded on November 5, 12 cases on November 6, 15 cases on November 7, as per data from the Health Emergency Operations Centre & Control Room of DGHS.
A total 736 dengue cases have been recorded in the country from January till November 8 this year. Among them, 199 cases were recorded in January, 45 in February, 27 in March, 25 in April, 10 in May, 20 in June, 23 in July, 68 infections and a death in August, 47 infections in September, 163 infections in October, and 109 till November 8.
Out of the 736 patients admitted to different hospitals with dengue, 66 were under treatment as of November 8. Among the 66, 65 were in Dhaka and one in outer Dhaka.
IEDCR has so far received information on five deaths and completed investigation into two deaths. One death has been confirmed as dengue related.
Preparations
Dr Afsana Alamgir Khan, deputy program manager at the National Malaria Elimination and Aedes Transmitted Diseases Control Programme of DGHS, said the higher number of cases reported can be a result of climate change altering the pattern of vector-borne diseases.
The volume of rainfall was higher in October and this may be a reason for the spike in Aedes mosquitoes, she said.
“We are conducting special drives with Dhaka North City Corporation and are expecting the number of cases to come down shortly,” she added.
The DGHS official said letters have been sent to all civil surgeon offices across Bangladesh, asking them to test for dengue and malaria along with the coronavirus test if any patient with a fever seeks treatment.
“The test kits for dengue are available in all hospitals. So far, we have supplied over 94,000 dengue testing kits to hospitals, including over 41,000 supplied in October alone,” she said.
