The daily average hospitalisation of dengue patients in the first six days of the current month more than doubled compared with the same period of the last month, causing healthcare professionals and people to worry over the potential spread of the disease in the coming months.
In the first six days of September, on an average 327 patients every day were admitted to hospitals with dengue against 145 in August indicating authorities鈥� failure to control the vector during monsoon.
According to the Directorate General of Health Services, at least nine people died of dengue, and 1,963 people were hospitalised across the country in the first six days of September, including one death and 118 hospitalisations in 24 hours until 8:00am on Friday.
In the past month of August, at least 27 people died and 6,521 were hospitalised with the disease across the country. Only four people died and 869 were hospitalised in first six days.
Dengue deaths and hospitalisation in the current September compared with the same period last year is somewhat better though. At least 14,214 people were hospitalised and 78 others died of the disease in the first six days of September 2023, setting a new record of dengue deaths and hospitalisation in the country.
Entomologists observe that dengue patients are on the rise largely due to the inactivity of the authorities concerned amid the ongoing monsoon.
Dhaka city residents said that they had hardly seen any anti-mosquito drives in the past couple of weeks since the country was rocked by student-led protests causing the overthrow of the Awami League鈥檚 15-year rule.
Health directorate data show that among the dengue deaths 55 occurred in hospitals situated in the Dhaka South City Corporation area, eight in the Dhaka North City Corporation area, 12 in Chattogram, 10 in Barishal and three in Khulna, among others.
This year until September 6, dengue hospitalisation was recorded 4,068 in Chattogram, 3,801 in Dhaka South City Corporation area, 2,408 in Dhaka north city corporation area, 1,616 in Barishal and 1,030 in Khulna.
National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine entomology department head professor Md Golam Sharower said that dengue control drive did not get proper attention in past weeks leading to a hike in mosquito density.
He also questioned the effectiveness of the insecticides being applied for years and the spray method being used for decades.
He feared that the compound factors of continuation of rain and receding of the rainwater in September would stretch the risk of the disease鈥檚 spread till November.
National University entomologist GM Saifur Rahman said that dengue hospitalisation and deaths would continue to increase if mosquito breeding was not controlled.
He feared that dengue infection would see a late pick this year due to heatwaves in the pre-monsoon and early monsoon.
鈥楧engue will continue to rise till October,鈥� he apprehended.
The entomologist said that currently, serotype-II dengue was responsible for most deaths and hospitalisation. Based on the change in the serotype deaths and hospitalisation might increase, he said.
Dhaka North City Corporation administrator Md Mahmudul Hasan admitted that the recent political turmoil disrupted their anti-mosquito drives for few days. The drive had resumed now, he added.
As the ward councillors went to into hiding after the previous government鈥檚 downfall, the city authorities were trying to involve locally influential people to run public awareness campaigns, while the regular larviciding and fogging continued, he added.
鈥楾he rising trend will come under control soon,鈥� he hoped.
Dhaka South City Corporation officials said that the health directorate data were misleading because they collected information from hospitals. As several large healthcare facilities, including Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Sir Salimullah Medical College聽Mitford Hospital, were located under its jurisdiction these numbers were higher, he explained.
So far, 10 people living in the Dhaka south city died of dengue, said a senior health department officer, preferring anonymity, of the city authority.聽
