11 dengue patients die, 2,956 hospitalised in 24hrs

A total of 11 dengue patients died and 2,956 were admitted to different hospitals in the country during the last 24 hours till 8:00 am Tuesday, reports news agency BSS.

On 2 September, Bangladesh recorded 21 dengue-related deaths, the highest number in a single day, this year while the country reported 20 dengue-linked deaths, second highest deaths during the current year, on 7 September.

“The death toll from dengue infection crossed 700-mark as the authorities recorded 752 dengue deaths between 1 January, 2023 and 12 September, a press release of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said.

“During the period, 911 dengue patients were hospitalised in Dhaka city while 2,045 were admitted to different hospitals outside it,” the DGHS daily statement added.

“This year, 752 deaths, the highest in a year since dengue was detected in 2000, were reported from dengue disease while 281 died last year,” the statement said.

With the new cases, the total number of patients rose to 154,228 the statement said, adding: “This year, some 143,461 patients were released from different hospitals out of the total patients.”

“A total of 10,015 dengue patients are undergoing treatment at different hospitals. Of them, 4,222 are in Dhaka while 5,793 are outside of the capital city,” it added.

According to the DGHS statement, among the total dengue positive cases, 59,103 are female and 95,125 are male. Of the total deaths, 435 are female and 317 male.

The authorities have recorded the highest number of dengue positive cases outside Dhaka in August this year, meaning the mosquito disease gripped the entire country.

August witnessed 71,976 dengue positive cases, the highest cases in a single month since dengue outbreak began in 2000 in the country, while 342 dengue-related deaths were reported in the current month, the DGHS statement said.

According to the health experts, the vector-borne disease hit Dhaka city in 2000 subsequently the dengue positive cases were detected in Dhaka city only. But the dengue disease is changing its nature and it is gradually spreading across the country, they said, adding: “All 64 districts of the country have witnessed dengue positive cases.”

July alone recorded 43,854 dengue positive cases with 204 deaths, the DGHS statement read.

As of 12 September, the authorities recorded 30,420 dengue positive cases while 159 deaths from the mosquito-borne disease during the same period.

While addressing a seminar held on 10 September, professor Md Sharfuddin Ahmed, Vice Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), suggested following treatment protocol properly to treat dengue patients to avert deaths as the country already has set all time record in both deaths and infections since the mosquito-borne disease was detected in 2000.

He urged the physicians and other medical professionals to maintain treatment protocol while treating dengue patients as it is very crucial part of medical services for dengue patients.

The BSMMU vice chancellor also dubbed fluid management as an important part of treatment protocol for dengue patients, saying all medical professional have to be cautious for fluid management of dengue patients as over doses of fluid and fluid deficiency caused deaths.