Dengue cases cross 1,000 mark in country

With at least 63 people with dengue fever being admitted to hospitals in the country during 24 hours till 8am yesterday, the number of dengue cases has passed the 1,000 mark this year.

Till yesterday, a total of 1058 patients have been diagnosed with dengue this year, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Of the total infected, only 36 are from outside Dhaka.

Around half of the total infected, 686 were diagnosed during the running month till yesterday morning, which indicates the fast-rising trend of the disease.

At least 272 were infected in June and 43 were infected in May. 

Though most of the patients who were hospitalised have so far been released, 318 of them are still undergoing treatment at hospitals in Dhaka, and one outside the capital, the DGHS data showed.

The DGHS reported 1,193 dengue cases and three confirmed dengue-related deaths in 2020.

According to official figures, 101,354 dengue cases and 179 deaths were recorded in Bangladesh in 2019.

Dengue fever was first reported in Bangladesh in 2000 when it claimed 93 lives.

In the following three years, the fatalities almost fell to zero.

However, the mosquito-borne viral infection struck again in 2018, killing 26, and infecting 10,148 people.