Dhaka, September 21 (Daily Kiran) : Dengue fever has claimed 87 lives in Bangladesh this September, marking the highest monthly death toll from the disease this year. As of Sunday morning, health officials confirmed six additional fatalities within the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of dengue-related deaths in 2023 to 184, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The DGHS reported that the number of confirmed dengue cases has surged to 61,972 since January, following the identification of 1,593 new cases in the past day. The fatalities include 87 in September, 43 in August, 36 in July, and 13 in June.
In August alone, the disease infected 20,536 individuals, while September has already seen 26,126 cases in its first 20 days. In response to the outbreak, the Bangladeshi government initiated a three-month campaign to combat the disease at the start of the month.
Dengue fever, transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, can lead to severe illness. Common symptoms include high fever, headaches, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, swollen glands, vomiting, and skin rashes.
A recent report from the daily newspaper ‘Prothom Alo’ highlighted that dengue has spread across all 64 districts of Bangladesh. Hundreds of patients are being admitted to hospitals daily due to the mosquito-borne illness, which is largely preventable.
During a program at the Dhaka Reporters Unity on September 9, Bangladesh’s State Minister for Health and Family Welfare, MA Muhith, noted that dengue infections are on the rise and are expected to peak in the last week of September and early October.
Despite ongoing media coverage and discussions about the increasing infections and deaths, the government’s commitment to dengue prevention has been questioned. According to ‘Prothom Alo’, a significant weakness has been a lack of coordination in response efforts.
Leave a Comment