Dengue spreads across country, October poses high risk

Dengue has spread to all 64 districts of the country. Every day, several hundred people are being admitted to hospitals after contracting the mosquito-borne disease. People are dying from this preventable disease almost every day. The government says the dengue situation will worsen in late September and early October. Infections may increase further in at least 15 districts.

Amid this situation, the government is launching a dengue prevention and cleanliness campaign across the country from today, Saturday. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will inaugurate the programme from the South Plaza of the parliament. It has been learnt the campaign will continue for three months.

The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) under the government analysed four years of data and said the risk of dengue infection would increase further in Dhaka, Khulna, Chattogram, Gazipur, Mymensingh, Pirojpur, Narayanganj, Jhalakathi, Cox’s Bazar, Sirajganj, Cumilla, Barishal, Barguna, Bandarban and Patuakhali in the coming weeks.

A section of public health experts and entomologists had been warning for one and a half to two months that the dengue situation could worsen in September and October.

At an event held at the Dhaka Reporters Unity on 9 September, State Minister for Health and Family Welfare MA Muhit said dengue had started to increase. The peak period of dengue was approaching in the last week of September and the beginning of October.

Health State Minister MA Muhit told Prothom Alo on Friday, “Dengue cannot be tackled without public participation. Tomorrow (Saturday), the prime minister will inaugurate the cleanliness and awareness campaign from the parliament complex. Three to four ministries will be involved in this initiative. Volunteers, members of voluntary organisations, and officials and employees of various offices and institutions will take part.”

He also said the work would be carried out every Saturday and would continue for three months. During this period, students would also clean and maintain cleanliness at their institutions.

Public health experts believe the dengue situation should not have become so alarming. Dengue is preventable. Dhaka and Kolkata in India have almost the same geographical location and environment. Yet, dengue is under control in Kolkata.

A major outbreak of dengue occurred in Dhaka, and Bangladesh, in 2000. Since then, people in Dhaka city have mainly been affected by this Aedes mosquito-borne disease every year. The disease was primarily concentrated in major cities such as Dhaka and Chattogram.

The disease first spread across the country in 2019. Over the past two and a half decades, the lack of scientifically sound mosquito-control measures and failure to effectively raise public awareness and engage people have turned the disease into a persistent public health problem.

At the same time, measles infection is now occurring in all districts of the country. More than 1,000 people have died of measles this year. Most of the deaths have been among children. Families with children are concerned about measles as well as dengue.

In a press release issued yesterday, Friday, the Directorate General of Health Services’ Health Emergency Operations Centre and Control Room said two people had died of dengue.

An analysis of government data shows that deaths are increasing. From January to May—the first five months of the year—five people died. Thirteen died in June. The number increased to 36 in July and further to 43 in August. In the first 11 days of September, 44 people have died. This brings the total number of dengue deaths this year to 141.

So far, 49,220 people have been hospitalised after contracting dengue. The data show that from May to September, the number of infections increased every month compared with the previous month. Division-wise data show that after Dhaka, Khulna division has the highest number of infections and deaths.

Government data show that the infection rate is higher among men, while the death rate is higher among women. So far, 62 per cent of those infected are men and the remaining 38 per cent are women. However, 52 per cent of those who died are women and the remaining 48 per cent are men.

The IEDCR analysed some aspects of dengue from 2023 to 5 September 2026. It said the case fatality rate from dengue was still low this year. In 2023, Bangladesh recorded its highest-ever dengue cases and deaths, with 321,179 infections and 1,705 deaths, a case fatality rate of 0.53 per cent. In 2024 and 2025, the rates were 0.49 and 0.34 per cent respectively. Up to 5 September this year, the rate was 0.28 per cent.

However, an analysis of data up to yesterday shows that the case fatality rate this year, although slightly, is increasing, reaching 0.29 per cent.

The IEDCR analysed samples from 71 dengue patients this year and said 91.5 per cent of infections were caused by DENV-3. The remaining 8.5 per cent were caused by DENV-2. Infections in Barguna and Bandarban districts are being caused by DENV-2. The dengue type in Pirojpur is also DENV-2.

Epidemiologists say there are four strains or types of dengue virus: DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3 and DENV-4. When a person is infected with one type, their body develops immunity against that specific type. If someone is infected with DENV-1 once, they will never be infected with that type again. However, they remain at risk of infection from the other three types.

In other words, a person can contract dengue a total of four times. After recovering from the first infection, complications increase if the person is infected a second time, while the risk of complications and death increases further with a third infection.

The IEDCR’s analysis shows that all four types of dengue are active in Bangladesh.

Although reports and discussions about dengue infections and deaths have appeared in the media in recent years, the government’s lack of commitment to preventing dengue has been evident. The biggest deficiency has been in coordination.

The Ministry of Local Government is primarily responsible for controlling the Aedes mosquito, the vector of dengue virus. The Ministry of Health is responsible for treating people infected with dengue.

Public health experts have been saying for years that dengue cannot be prevented without coordination between these two ministries. But such coordination has not been seen.

There are also examples of public health problems such as dengue being ignored. In 2017, following an increase in the dengue outbreak in Dhaka city, the World Health Organization sent epidemiologist K Krishnamurthy to Dhaka to advise the Ministry of Health.

After speaking with many people, the expert prepared a 22-page planning document. The objective of the plan was to reduce the infection rate and deaths from dengue.

The document recommended forming a ‘rapid response team’ comprising epidemiologists, entomologists, microbiologists, information-education-communication specialists and media workers. It called for 12 ministries to be involved in the work of

Then, in 2019, the World Health Organization sent its senior entomologist BN Nagpal to Dhaka to advise the government on mosquitoes.

Emphasising public participation in dengue control, BN Nagpal said in his recommendations that it was not possible to reduce Aedes mosquitoes through city corporation workers alone. City corporation workers cannot enter people’s homes. But these mosquitoes rest under tables and chairs, under sofas and beds, behind curtains and behind cupboards—in places where it is dark. This is because the mosquito is hydrophilic, meaning it prefers moisture.

However, neither the Ministry of Health nor the government was seen taking any initiative to inform people about BN Nagpal’s recommendations or raise public awareness.

Dengue was once primarily a disease of Dhaka city. But the situation has now changed. In recent days, Khulna district has had the highest number of patients after Dhaka.

Two weeks ago, the highest number of patients was reported in the small southern district of Pirojpur. Last year, a sudden outbreak of dengue occurred in Barguna town.

However, discussions on mosquito control mainly focus on the two Dhaka city corporations and the other 10 city corporations. It is not known what is being done about mosquitoes and mosquito-control chemicals in the country’s municipalities.

There is no discussion anywhere about the mosquito situation in rural areas. It has become necessary to formulate a programme covering the entire country.

Public health expert and former chief scientific officer of the IEDCR Mushtuq Husain told Prothom Alo, “I welcome the government’s initiative. However, there must be a proper plan. The Red Crescent should be given responsibility for involving volunteers. The programme should be evaluated after three months.

“The work should continue throughout the year across the country. It should continue for several years until dengue is brought under control. The prime minister should call on workers of all political parties, including the BNP, to participate in the programmem,” he added.