Dengue kills 2 more, 783 cases of new infections

Two women reportedly died of dengue in the last 24 hours as the government confirmed 783 new cases across the country, showing a slight improvement in the situation, reports news agency UNB.

In Kushtia, Josna Khatun, 55, died at a private hospital in Dhaka in the evening, her son Selim said.

“My mother was being treated at a local hospital for dengue. She was taken to Dhaka on Sunday after her condition deteriorated,” he said.

Meanwhile, Rahima Begum, 58, from Sonabaria village in Satkhira's Kalaroa upazila, died at a private hospital in Khulna on Monday night.

Quamrul Islam of Kalaroa upazila health complex said Rahima was admitted to Satkhira CB Hospital with dengue one week ago. She was shifted to Gazi Medical College Hospital in Khulna as her condition deteriorated.

Bangladesh is fighting an uphill battle against mosquito-borne disease dengue this year. The government said 72,745 patients had been hospitalised since 1 January. Of them, 68,811 were discharged after recovery.

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said 3,746 people, including 2,111 in Dhaka, are currently undergoing treatment for dengue.

But the number of new dengue cases is declining steadily. The number was 865 on Monday, 902 on Sunday and 760 on Saturday. It was 1,025 on Friday, 1,189 on Thursday, and 1,157 on Wednesday.

Since January, the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) received information about 188 dengue-related deaths. So far, it has reviewed 96 cases and confirmed 57 dengue deaths.