A man in Kaliganj upazila of Satkhira has received considerable attention, and some mockery, in social media platforms after he erected a mosquito net in his toilet to evade getting bitten by Aedes mosquitoes.
Aedes mosquito is the carrier of the deadly dengue infection, which has claimed scores of lives and sent thousands others to hospitals since the beginning of this year.
Suman Hossain, from Ghorapota village under Kaliganj upazila, has reportedly been using the net round the clock ever since the dengue outbreak took a serious turn.
But the story does not just end here: the cautionary measure taken by Suman has inspired many others to follow his example.
However, despite repeated attempts, this correspondent could not get hold of Suman for his comment over the matter.
Tariqul Islam, who lives in the same village, said mosquito menace in the area has intensified recently, mainly due to a number of gardens and bushes.
“Maybe Suman opted to use mosquito net at his toilet to escape dengue virus,” he said, adding, Suman’s action inspired many other villagers to be aware of the mosquito-borne virus.
Local union parishad chairman, Azizur Rahman, said they were conducting campaigns to eradicate Aedes mosquitoes and build awareness among locals regarding dengue virus.
“Cleanliness campaigns are underway, especially at educational institutions. However, not a single dengue patient has been reported in our village as yet,” he claimed.
But a number of people infected with dengue virus have been identified in the upazila, with one patient already confirmed dead, prompting many to panic.
Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Sheikh Taiyabur Rahman said at least 110 dengue patients have been identified at the upazila till date.
“Four people are currently being treated at the Upazila Health Complex. A 14-year-old madrasa student, who was first admitted here after being diagnosed with dengue, died in Khulna,” he maintained.
The physician urged locals not to panic over the dengue crisis as the outbreak has already started to weaken.
“Instead, they need to be careful, keep their homes and surroundings clean, and must use mosquito nets before going to bed,” he concluded.
