Dengue cases on the rise as Bangladesh reports 14 new hospitalisations

Bangladesh is seeing a rise in the number of dengue cases in recent days with the health authorities confirming hospitalisation of 14 new patients in the past 24 hours until Tuesday morning.

Thirteen of the cases were recorded in Dhaka, reports news agency UNB.

A spike in cases prompted the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) to launch an anti-mosquito campaign from 2 November.

On the second day, DNCC inspectors found Aedes larvae at 95 buildings and establishments and fined the owners Tk 153,000.

Currently, 45 dengue patients are undergoing treatment at hospitals -- 42 of them in Dhaka alone.

Since January this year, the health authorities recorded 666 dengue cases and 617 of them have recovered, the Health Emergency Operation Centre and Control Room under the Directorate of Health said Tuesday.

Bangladesh saw a massive outbreak of dengue in 2019. Many feared that a similar, if not worse, situation this year amid the coronavirus pandemic would put extraordinary pressure on the country’s health system.

According to official figures, Bangladesh recorded 101,354 dengue cases last year. Among them, 179 people were killed by the mosquito-borne disease.