Dengue cases in Bangladesh have surged beyond 300,000, marking the nation’s most severe outbreak of this vector-borne disease, as reported by media outlets.The report cites experts attributing the outbreak to an extended monsoon, increasing temperatures, and insufficient measures to control the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the confirmed carrier of the dengue virus.
The total number of dengue infections in Bangladesh has reached 301,255, resulting in 1,549 deaths from the viral disease this year, according to bdnews24.com, citing data from the Directorate General of Health Services.Currently, a total of 4,949 patients, including 1,127 in Dhaka, are undergoing treatment at hospitals nationwide.
August witnessed 71,976 cases and 342 deaths, setting a record with 79,598 dengue cases and 396 deaths reported in September during the peak of the outbreak. October followed with 67,769 cases and 359 deaths.
In the initial 19 days of November, the death toll reached 201, accompanied by 30,080 new dengue cases reported during this period.
A total of 4,949 patients are currently undergoing treatment at hospitals in Bangladesh.
Experts attribute the outbreak to a prolonged monsoon, rising temperatures, and a lack of effective measures to control the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the known carrier of the dengue virus. An alarming surge of the Aedes aegypti mosquito was recorded in a government-funded pre-monsoon survey of Dhaka, fueling the worst spread of the disease in the past five years.
In the previous year, hospitals in Bangladesh reported 62,382 patients seeking medical care for the disease, with the death count standing at 281—the previous highest since the record-keeping began for dengue hospitalizations in the 1960s, according to the news portal.
Former chief entomologist at DHGS, Mohammad Khalilur Rahman, emphasized that dengue can be controlled through various means, including vector management and reducing Aedes breeding sources.