Dengue: 14 more die, 2,432 hospitalised in a day

At least 14 more people died of dengue in 24 hours till 8:00am today as the country grapples with a record outbreak of the mosquito-borne disease.

In the meantime, at least 2,432 dengue patients were hospitalised, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

At least 387 people have died so far in 2023 and nearly 82,506 infected, making this the deadliest year since the first recorded epidemic in 2000.

According to DGHS data, a total of 9,830 dengue patients are undergoing treatment at different hospitals across the country.

A total of 72,289 dengue patients were released so far from hospitals across the country this year, it added.

Hospitals, especially in Dhaka, are struggling to find enough space for the large number of patients suffering high fever, joint pain, and vomiting, health officials said.

The government has launched initiatives to limit the spread of mosquito-borne diseases, from awareness campaigns to efforts to kill mosquito larvae following a spell of rains, officials said.

There is no vaccine or drug that specifically treats dengue, which is common in South Asia during the June-to-September monsoon season when the Aedes aegypti mosquito that spreads the deadly virus thrives in stagnant water.