Dengue: 11 of 15 areas with most cases are in Dhaka North City
When dengue initially broke out in a severe bout this year, Jatrabari was the most affected area within both cities of Dhaka. This area located in Dhaka south city was a dengue hotspot even at the beginning of August.
Not only Jatrabari, six of the ten areas with most number of infections throughout Dhaka were indeed from the south city.
But the situation has changed now. A report published by the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that in the last week of August, as many as 11 of the 15 most affected areas in Dhaka are from the north city. And, ten of those areas are seeing an increase in dengue infection.
The monsoon mosquito survey conducted by the Directorate of Health Services (DGHS) in the last week of August showed that the number of Aedes mosquito larvae found in north city surpasses that of the south by a large margin.
Now, public health expert Mushtuq Husain believes there might be a connection between the number of mosquito larvae being too high and the rise in the number of patients in north city.
He told Prothom Alo, “The authority reeling in complacency might be the reason behind escalation of dengue cases there. Dengue management is like bailing water out of a boat. If there’s a gap in the routine, it can turn the situation vulnerable. That’s why dengue cases have been increasing in Dhaka north.”
WHO has published a report analysing dengue situation of the country till 20 September. The report portrayed the picture of dengue infection in 15 police stations of Dhaka during the last week of August. Eleven of these areas with most infection rate fall under Dhaka north city after all.
Pallabi area is at the top of that list, being followed by Uttara and Badda in the second and third spots. All three areas fall under Dhaka north city. The remaining seven areas are: Cantonment, Dakkshinkhan, Mirpur, Gulshan, Rampura, Kafrul, Khilkhet and Mohammadpur. Excluding Mohammadpur, the number of dengue patients has been rising in all ten other police stations of north city.
According to the report, the number of dengue patients has increased by 64 per cent in Dhaka’s most affected area, Pallabi within a month. Meanwhile, there has been highest 122 per cent increase in Mirpur.
Among the 15 most affected areas, the police stations in the southern city are Jatrabari, Kadmatoli, Sabujbagh and Khilgaon. Infections are decreasing in all areas. Patients in Jatrabari have reduced by almost 70 percent. Sabujbagh, another dengue-prone area in the south, has seen a reduction of more than 60 percent in cases.
Jatrabari, Kadamtali, Shabujbag and Khilgaon are the south city police stations included in the list of 15 most affected areas. The infection rate is decreasing in all four of these areas.
In Jatrabari, there has been a 70 per cent decrease in the number of patients. And Shabujbag, another highly dengue-prone area in the south has seen more than a 60 per cent reduction.
Reason of surge in dengue cases in the north
The north city corporation had taken various initiatives like using drones and guppies for mosquito control and last of all applying a sort of bacteria called Bacillus Thuringiensis Israelensis (BTI) for the first time to eradicate mosquito larvae.
They had given Marshal Agrovet Chemical Industries Limited the contract of importing BTI. The company wasn’t registered and it imported BTI from China in the name of importing it from Singaporean best Chemical Limited. Two of the government agencies however claimed the imported BTI to be effective.
The mosquito control activities in the north city are somewhat on the back foot now. It seems that relying on the nature is being considered the best option right now.Kabirul Bashar, entomologist
Though it’s effective, sources of the north city corporation say that the use of BTI has been stopped altogether following the scandal. Deputy chief health officer at Dhaka North City Corporation, Md Golam Mostafa Sarwar told Prothom Alo, “Since there arose criticism about BTI, we are not applying it anymore. We are now trying to import BTI ourselves.”
The north city corporation has stopped using BTI that was imported for mosquito larvae control. And that’s where the number of larvae has shot up. DGHS’s monsoon survey has found huge presence of mosquito larvae in north city towards the end of august.
‘Breteau index (BI)’ is the globally recognised method of measuring the density of Aedes mosquito larvae within a specific area. Larvae density being more than 20 per cent on this scale means that the propensity of dengue infection will surely go up in that area.
The density or the BI of Aedes larvae is higher than 20 per cent in about 75 per cent of the areas in north city. Meanwhile, only 19 per cent areas in the south city have a BI of more than 20 per cent.
Since there arose criticism about BTI, we are not applying it anymore. We are now trying to import BTI ourselves.Md Golam Mostafa Sarwar, deputy chief health officer at Dhaka North City Corporation
Regarding the spread of larvae alongside the rise in dengue cases in the north city, Md Golam Mostafa Sarwar said, “On the whole, there has been a decrease in the number of dengue cases in both cities. But, new cases are being found in some areas of the north city, which is new.”
The mosquito control activities in the north city have been slowed down following the BTI incident. In public health experts’ opinion, this is not a desirable condition during the peak season of dengue.
Entomologist Kabirul Bashar told Prothom Alo, “The mosquito control activities in the north city are somewhat on the back foot now. It seems that relying on the nature is being considered the best option right now.”