Dengue returns with two new cases

Two new dengue cases were reported on Saturday by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), following a period during which no new cases had been reported.

The two new patients are currently being treated at a hospital, according to a daily update from DGHS.

With them, Bangladesh health authorities have reported 315 dengue cases since the beginning of the year. The previous 313 patients have all been discharged from hospital following full recovery.

The country had a massive dengue outbreak last year when 101,354 people were hospitalised and the disease spread outside capital Dhaka.

According to official figures, the mosquito-borne disease killed 179 people last year - the most since dengue became endemic in Bangladesh in the early 2000s.

Experts warned that Dhaka may witness an even worse outbreak of dengue this year when the presence of Aedes mosquitoes increases dramatically in the monsoon months. So far however that has not played out.

In order to protect the city dwellers from dengue, a special clean-up operation to control Aedes mosquito was launched in all 54 wards of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) from 6 June.

During the 10-day operation, the DNCC has found Aedes larvae at 1,601 houses.

Besides, it also launched a special anti-mosquito drive in different hospitals from Saturday so that no patients undergoing treatment in hospitals are affected by dengue.