Dengue now in 61 districts

After wreaking havoc across the capital, the dengue disease has spread to 60 other districts, according to the Directorate General of Health Services.

Meanwhile, four people who were diagnosed with dengue died last night.

The districts without any dengue patients are Netrokona, Joypurhat and Meherpur.

The rapid spread of the disease has been termed alarming by experts.

According to a Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) report, a record 1,845 patients outside of Dhaka were diagnosed with the viral disease yesterday alone.

In 24 hours since 8:00am on Sunday, 1,335 new dengue cases were reported -- the highest in a single day -- the DGHS said.

The data also shows 15,359 people have been infected with the mosquito-borne disease until yesterday -- the highest ever in the country. Last year, the number was 10,148.

Many, however, said the number could be higher as many cases are unreported.

Of the four people who died yesterday from dengue, two were in Dhaka and two in Barishal. With them, 41 people have died after contracting the disease, according to hospital sources.

The DGHS data, however, still shows the number of deaths to be 8.

Farzana Hossain, 42, from Siddhirganj of Narayanganj, breathed her last at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Dhaka Medical College Hospital around 1:45am, said Nasiruddin, assistant director of the DMCH.

In Barishal, two people -- Aslam Khan, 24, and Sohel, 18 -- died at the Sher-E-Bangla Medical College Hospital. Both of them had contracted dengue, said doctors.

Aslam, hailing from Shyampur Bakerganj of Barishal, was rushed to the hospital in an unconscious state on Monday night and died around 3:15am, our district correspondent reported, quoting the hospital’s director Dr Bakir Hossain.

Sohel, 18, was also taken to the hospital from his hometown in Kaukhali area of Pirojpur around 1:20am. He breathed his last around 3:40am, the official said.

In Chattogram, there was a sharp rise in dengue cases, with 59 patients hospitalised at government and private hospitals over the last two days.

Dr Nurul Haidar Shamim, medical officer (disease control) of Chattogram Civil Surgeon Office, said, “Till July 30, there were 120 patients affected by dengue who are undergoing treatment at two government hospitals and nine private hospitals.”

Azizur Rahman Siddiqui, civil surgeon of Chattogram, said, “People who visited Dhaka came back with the dengue virus. We will try our best so that not a single life succumbs to the disease.”

Meanwhile, AJM Nasir Uddin, mayor of Chattogram City Corporation (CCC), declared that dengue tests would be done for free at all CCC-owned hospitals from Sunday.

Hasan Shahriar Kabir, director of the directorate of Chattogram divisional health office, said every government hospital would conduct free dengue tests. Action will be taken against those who do not do so.

Around 66 suspected dengue patients were undergoing treatment at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital (MMCH).

MMCH authorities have started free antigen tests to diagnose dengue at two pathology departments of the hospital’s outdoor and emergency units from yesterday.

In Kishoreganj, some 59 dengue patients were taking treatment at different hospitals, including at Kishoreganj General Hospital, said Dr Md Habibur Rahman, the district’s civil surgeon.

Around 139 people were infected with dengue in the district over the last two weeks, said the civil surgeon.

Regarding the patients, the doctors said they were likely infected with the disease in Dhaka and other areas outside the district. They were admitted after they returned to Kishoreganj.

Meanwhile, hospitals in the capital are still struggling to deal with the excessive number of dengue patients and also those who are coming to take the dengue tests even if they are not runing a fever. 

“Our pathology departments are struggling to provide free dengue tests due to the large number of patients,” said Uttam Kumar Barua, director of Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital.

Some 268 patients were being treated in the hospital and the number of patients is increasing every day, he said.

PRIME MINISTER

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said, “The government is working to tackle dengue … the leaders and activists of the party should work alongside it.”

Hasina, now in London, made the remarks at a special extended meeting of the Awami League at the party headquarters, which she joined via teleconference. Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader briefed the media in this regard.

“People should be aware of dengue. We’ve to regularly clean our households,” she said, urging everyone to combat the situation with patience, according to Quader.

The majority of dengue patients are from Dhaka. Earlier this month, the WHO said the dengue situation was alarming in Bangladesh but it was not out of control.

RAILWAY TO TAKE ANTI-DENGUE MEASURES

Meanwhile, the railway ministry has directed all railway offices and establishments to take extra cleanliness measures to prevent the breeding of Aedes mosquitoes.

The ministry gave several directives during a meeting held its office on Monday to create awareness on dengue fever and how to control its spread. Rail Secretary Mofazzel Hossain presided over the meeting.

Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, the secretary said Bangladesh Railway had around 500 stations, a number of offices, residents, trains and establishments.

The railway stations, especially, are vulnerable as they can be breeding grounds for mosquitoes.  This is why the directives have been given to carry out cleanliness drives at the stations and other establishments, taking help from city corporations or municipalities, he said.

MAYOR KHOKON SEEKS PEOPLE’S HELP

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Sayeed Khokon yesterday sought help from the people to tackle the Aedes mosquitoes.

Speaking after a mobile court drive at Shantinagar, the mayor said DSCC was working hard to tackle the disease but it needed the help of the people to destroy mosquito larvae.

He said they have identified under construction buildings at the DSCC areas where the number of Aedes mosquito larvae is higher than in other places.

Khokon said the problem could be tackled with a united effort.

WELFARE MINSITRY CANCELS ALL LEAVES

The leaves of all officials and employees of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been cancelled due to dengue and the floods.

“According to the decision of a meeting that took place on Monday afternoon, the leave of all officials of the Health and Family Welfare Ministry has been cancelled due to the flood and dengue,” said a press release signed by Maidul Islam Prodhan, the ministry’s information officer.

Besides, a monitoring cell has been formed at the office of Health Minister Zahid Maleque. It will monitor the dengue outbreak situation and ministry activities regarding it round the clock.

The monitoring cell will also take action if any hospital does not comply with the government directives regarding the price of dengue test, said the release.