The number of dengue patients being hospitalised continues to rise every day. Over the past five days, from Saturday to Wednesday the number of patients admitted to hospital was 820, 836, 889, 1054, and 1246 respectively.
As per the information provided on the Directorate General of Health Services' website, five individuals have lost their lives to dengue between Tuesday 8:00 am and Wednesday 8:00 am. This brings the total dengue-related fatalities to 88 this year, with 41 deaths occurring in the first 12 days of July. Alarmingly, 23 people which are more than half of these deaths occurred in the past five days alone.
Several surveys conducted by the Communicable Disease Control (CDC) of the DGHS have revealed an increased presence of Aedes mosquitoes vector of dengue in Dhaka compared to the previous year. Public health experts are concerned that the incidence of dengue infections in the country may escalate significantly from August to September.
According to data from the DGHS, within the last 24 hours, 709 dengue patients have been admitted to various hospitals in Dhaka, and an additional 537 individuals have been admitted to hospitals outside Dhaka. So far, in July alone, a total of 8165 people have been hospitalised due to dengue. Overall, the total number of dengue patients admitted to hospitals this year stands at 16,143.
As of Wednesday, a total of 3,791 individuals were receiving treatment for dengue in both public and private hospitals across the country. Among them, 2,530 patients were admitted to 53 hospitals in the capital city, Dhaka.
Mugda Medical College Hospital in Dhaka reported the highest number of dengue patients, with 488 individuals being admitted. The hospital is currently facing a shortage of beds, resulting in patients being accommodated on the floor. Among the private hospitals in Dhaka, Holy Family Red Crescent Hospital recorded the highest number of 130 dengue patients.
Due to the escalating number of dengue patients, the DGHS has devised a plan to use the DNCC Covid Hospital in Dhaka North City Mohakhali exclusively for the treatment of dengue patients. Shafiqul Islam, the deputy director of the CDC, made this announcement to the media on Wednesday. He mentioned that the hospital will be used solely for dengue treatment once sufficient manpower and appropriate equipment are made available. In the meantime, as of yesterday, a total of 27 dengue patients have been admitted to the hospital.
700,000 fined for larvae breeding
In response to the escalating dengue crisis, Dhaka's city corporations have been conducting drives to contain dengue. As a part of this effort, fines are being served to individuals or organisations that are discovered to have Aedes mosquito larvae in their homes, establishments, or construction sites. Mobile courts have recently conducted drives in different parts of city and fined individuals and organisations around Tk 706,500.
The mobile court is conducting daily drives in the 10 wards of Dhaka North City, except Fridays. Authorities imposed a fine amounting to Tk 583,500 and the registration of 10 cases after the discovery of Aedes mosquito larvae. Similarly, in Dhaka South City, the mobile court has imposed fines of Tk 123,000.