Dengue cases surged sharply in Khulna division in August, with hospital admissions nearly tripling from July, while deaths from the mosquito-borne disease more than doubled.
A total of 3,800 dengue patients were admitted to hospitals across the division in August, compared with 1,252 in July. Dengue-related deaths also rose from five in July to 12 in August.
Khulna district recorded the highest number of admissions, with 2,023 patients, followed by Bagerhat with 1,098. Khulna Medical College Hospital alone admitted 1,389 dengue patients, putting considerable pressure on doctors and nurses.
The situation has deteriorated dramatically compared with last year. Bagerhat recorded only 107 dengue admissions during the corresponding period last year, compared with 1,098 this year—an increase of more than ninefold.
Khulna district and KMCH together recorded 3,412 admissions this year, compared with only 330 last year, marking an increase of more than tenfold.
Other districts also reported dengue admissions, including 55 in Satkhira, 89 at Satkhira Medical College Hospital, 540 in Jessore, 91 in Jhenaidah, 132 in Magura, 206 in Narail, 115 in Kushtia, 20 in Chuadanga and 90 in Meherpur.
According to the Directorate of Health data, dengue admissions in the division stood at 60 in January, 33 in February, 30 in March, 47 in April, 60 in May, 566 in June, 1,252 in July and 3,800 in August.
Dengue deaths began in June, with three fatalities that month. Five deaths were recorded in July and 12 in August. Of the 20 deaths recorded so far this year, 17 occurred at KMCH, two in Khulna district and one in Bagerhat.
According to the report, 5,848 dengue patients had been admitted to hospitals in the division between January 1 and August 29. Of them, 4,954 had been discharged, while 114 had been referred to other facilities. The death toll stood at 20.
Khulna Divisional Director of Health Dr Sheikh Md Mosharraf Hossain said the 283 new patients included 146 in Khulna district, 55 at KMCH, five in Bagerhat, seven in Satkhira, six at Satkhira Medical College Hospital, 32 in Jessore, eight in Jhenaidah, five in Magura, 12 in Narail, three in Kushtia and four in Meherpur.
Among the 760 patients currently receiving treatment, 293 are in Khulna district, 199 at Khulna Medical College Hospital, 105 in Bagerhat, 14 in Satkhira, 15 at Satkhira Medical College Hospital, 59 in Jessore, 13 in Jhenaidah, 18 in Magura, 21 in Narail, 12 in Kushtia, three in Chuadanga and eight in Meherpur.
