Dengue infections are rising rapidly across Bangladesh, with the southern districts of Barguna and Barisal witnessing an alarming spike, health officials said, warning of a possible nationwide outbreak.
Once largely concentrated in the capital, the mosquito-borne disease is now spreading across rural and urban areas. “The situation in Barguna is currently more concerning than in Dhaka,” Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Prof. Dr Md Abu Zafar told reporters. “The infection rate is significantly higher there, largely due to widespread waterlogging.”
“Dengue is a multidisciplinary challenge, only the DGHS cannot control it alone. Here, local governments and city corporations are also our (Department of Health) partners. We basically look into the treatment of someone infected with dengue. Apart from this, the other two institutions are working on the entire process of controlling Aedes mosquitoes to prevent dengue.”
Stating that the Department of Health has taken quick steps to deal with the temporary crisis, he said, “We have sent 13,500 saline to Barguna. We are not always aware of fever. We go for treatment a few days after the fever starts. But it is worrying for dengue patients. The complications of dengue patients mainly increase due to negligence and not getting proper treatment.”
Between Thursday and Friday morning, 151 people were hospitalized with dengue, though no new deaths were reported, according to a DGHS press release. Barisal Division reported the highest number of new cases, with 86 infections.
Since January, 7,077 dengue cases have been recorded across Bangladesh, with 30 confirmed deaths.
The DGHS has found the density of Aedes mosquito larvae in 13 wards of Dhaka's two city corporations to be at a risky level before the dengue fever season begins. The survey was conducted in February this year. But due to the delay in publishing the results, the City Corporation and the Ministry of Local Government could not take effective initiatives using the survey information.
The wards at risk in Dhaka North City Corporation are wards 2, 8, 12, 34, 13, 22. The risky wards in Dhaka South City Corporation are wards 3, 4, 23, 31, 41, 46, 47. These wards include Kalshi, Tolarbag, Manipur, Pirerbag, Rampura, Meradia, Begumbazar, Wari, Shankharinagar Lane, Postgola, Basabo, and the surrounding areas of Lalbagh.
In both city corporations, the highest number of Aedes mosquito larvae was found in multi-storey buildings (58.88 percent). In addition, 19.63 percent was found in under-construction buildings, 9.8 percent in single houses, 8.88 percent in semi-detached houses, and 2.8 percent in vacant lots.
Professor Dr Kabirul Bashar, entomologist and professor in the Department of Zoology at Jahangirnagar University said, “In the current context, not only Dhaka but the entire country is at risk. Especially 11 districts of the country have become the most vulnerable. Of these, the highest infection is still in the capital Dhaka. The remaining 10 districts are outside Dhaka. The number of patients in these districts has increased fourfold in the last two months. The dengue situation has become worrisome, especially in various southern districts including Barguna and Barisal.”
He said, “Meanwhile, the DGHS has declared Barguna as a 'dengue hotspot'. IEDCR has formed a seven-member expert team including pathologists to control the dengue situation outside Dhaka, including Barguna. That team has already gone to Barguna. We also went there with a team ourselves. We found the gross index of mosquitoes there to be above 20 in most of the areas.”
“We have also been to some districts of North Bengal, where the gross index is close to 20. So there is no doubt that another explosion of dengue infection is going to happen this year. Therefore, effective measures must be taken now to eradicate Aedes mosquitoes,” Professor Dr Kabirul Bashar added.
(Translated by Tanvir Raihan)
