The number of patients being treated for dengue has crossed the 2,000 mark in the first nine months of this year, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The first two weeks of September alone saw more than 500 hospital admissions for dengue fever, 135 more cases than in the previous year.
The country is experiencing a worse-than-usual attack of the potentially deadly fever this year, the DGHS said.
There is no vaccine or specific medication for dengue fever.
The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) has found that dengue outbreaks flare up in five-year cycles but is not sure why this is the case, a dengue specialist told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.
Up to October, 2015, four deaths from the disease have been reported and more than 2,000 people admitted to hospital around the country, according to the DGHS.
High levels of rainfall cause increases in mosquito-borne illnesses and June saw 15 people infected with dengue, July saw 156 and August saw 583 cases admitted to hospital. The DGHS National Crisis Management Centre and Control Room sources said this year there were no dengue patients in February, two in March, two in April and one in May.
On Thursday night Bangladesh cricket ODI and T20 captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza was admitted to a private hospital after being diagnosed with dengue fever.
Earlier, Aman Momtaz, son of BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed, succumbed to dengue fever.
One patient died out of 375 cases of dengue reported in 2014, there were two deaths from 1,749 cases in 2013, one death from 671 cases in 2012, and six deaths out of 1,359 cases in 2011.
No one was reported to have died from the disease between 2007 and 2010, but 409 cases were reported in 2010, 474 cases in 2009, 1,153 in 2008 and 466 in 2007.
There were 11 deaths from 2,200 cases of dengue in 2006, four deaths from 1,048 cases in 2005, 13 deaths from 3,434 cases in 2004, 10 deaths from 476 cases in 2003, 58 deaths from 6,232 cases in 2002, 44 deaths from 2,430 cases in 2001 and 93 from 5,551 cases in 2000, according to DGHS sources.
Dengue specialists said continuing rainfall, high temperatures and high levels of humidity provide the ideal breeding conditions for the Aedes mosquitoes which transmit the virus.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Associate Professor of Virology Dr Saif Ullah Munshi said dengue fever is usually prevalent between June and September with patients complaining of fever, severe bodily pain and headache.
Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) Director Prof Mahmudur Rahman said the authorities should be more active in building awareness and in killing mosquitoes and destroying their breeding grounds.
