Amid repeated warnings and speculations that the dengue situation may reach its peak this month and linger till November, the health authorities now hope that the number of patients will drop to a tolerable limit by late August.
However, the official data till Sunday gives no hope with the death of 10 people–seven of them in Dhaka city–in the 24 hours till 8am. Moreover, some 2,764 more patients were hospitalized, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The latest figures take the total fatalities this year to 313, an all-time high.
Of the new patients, 1,078 were admitted to hospitals in Dhaka.
A total of 9,347 dengue patients, including 4,605 in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country.
So far, the DGHS has recorded 66,732 dengue cases and 57,072 recoveries this year.
DGHS Director (MIS) Professor Dr Md Shahadat Hossain earlier in the day said the outbreaks of diseases typically have a peak and then gradually subside, but the timing may vary each year.
“Last year, dengue cases started declining in October, but this year, there is hope it could be as early as August. Tackling the dengue outbreak in August would bring some relief and enable a more comfortable situation for the public,” he said.
“In Dhaka, the number of cases has stabilized compared to the previous period. Although there is an increase in cases outside Dhaka, the rate of increase is not as high as before, providing a stable point for managing patients. The goal is to move from this stable point to a decline in cases,” Prof Shahadat added.
Deaths, cases deadlier than in July
The country recorded 62 deaths and 14,900 cases in the first six days of August. The figures are way too frightening compared to those over the same period last month, which was then dubbed the deadliest month given this year’s dengue outbreak.
Between July 1 and 6, Bangladesh saw just 17 deaths and 3,138 cases.
Saline scarcity
Amid the ongoing dengue situation, the scarcity of liquid saline in many government hospitals has emerged as a serious concern. Patients are facing high costs in procuring and using saline for treatment.
Dr Hossain said that the issue of saline shortage is not solely dependent on the DGHS.
“It involves collaboration with pharmaceutical companies, the Directorate General of Drug Administration and other organizations. Coordination among these entities is crucial to address the saline shortage effectively,” he said.
Meanwhile, the DGHS has started funding public hospitals to buy saline on their own as the Essential Drugs Company Ltd is failing to supply the liquid item.
