Bangladesh reports 12 dengue virus deaths, record number of hospitalizations in 24-hour

By SM Najmus Sakib

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) – Bangladesh has reported 12 deaths from the dengue virus and a record number of hospitalizations in the last 24 hours due to infections contracted from mosquito bites, the health authority said on Wednesday.

The Directorate General of Health Services said in a statement that seven of the 12 new casualties reported in Dhaka district, which has been hit hard by dengue virus, also known as breakbone fever, contracted through a type of mosque with white stripes on the body.

It stated that 2,844 new hospitalizations have been recorded in 24 hours, the highest number of cases this year.

The health authority has advised people to get dengue testing and visit hospitals if they have an uncontrollable high fever.

With the latest fatalities, the total number of dengue virus deaths this year has risen to 352, with 276 in Dhaka district alone, breaking previous grim records since the country began compiling data in 2000.

According to health authority data, the total number of people hospitalized with dengue fever in 2023 increased to 75,069, with 38,814 in Dhaka district.

Bangladesh recorded 281 dengue fever deaths last year, which was a record number.

Separately, Dr. Shahadat Hossain, a senior official with the Directorate General of Health Services, said at a press conference on Wednesday that the authority has noticed an increase in the number of patients, particularly outside Dhaka, with the capital city generally "stable."

"We had eight times the number of dengue cases in July this year compared to the previous year, and a similar increase was seen in the first week of August. If such rise in new cases continued, we fear August will surpass July," he warned.

He said the government has been working to expand health care facilities and maintain active monitoring to deal with any situation, in addition to carrying out mosquito-killer spraying in various areas.