Dengue looks ominous even in lean season

At least 10 dengue patients have died and about 756 new patients were hospitalised in the first 17 days of the year, portending an ominous trajectory of the mosquito-borne disease in 2024.

At this point a year earlier, the number of deaths was six and the total number of cases was 566. The death toll was zero in January 2022 and the caseload 126.

Bangladesh witnessed 1,705 dengue-related deaths and 321,179 cases last year -- the highest yet since its first outbreak in 2000.

Subsequently, entomologists asked the authorities concerned to take necessary steps to control Aedes mosquitoes since the beginning of this year.

The Directorate General of Health Services data does not reflect the real picture because a large number of dengue infections and subsequent deaths go unreported, said GM Saifur Rahman, lecturer on medical and applied entomology at National University.

A case is recorded only when an individual receives in-patient treatment at one of the 138 hospitals that send information to the DGHS. The rest of the country's 16,000 facilities do not provide the health directorate with data.

Dengue is a reportable disease in many countries, meaning data on every single patient is recorded, Rahman added.

In the absence of data on the exact number of patients, their locations and distribution of serotypes or closely related forms of the virus, the vector control programme would not be effective, said Manjur A Chowdhury, a former president of the Zoological Society of Bangladesh.

"Without information, it is not possible to kill adult mosquitoes and destroy the larvae in clusters."

The government should start surveillance in January, which is the lean season. In that way, they will be able to lower the risks of a widespread outbreak, Chowdhury said.

Awareness among people can also play a key role in reducing the number of breeding grounds, according to Chowdhury.

In this reality, Local Government Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Md Tazul Islam yesterday directed the city corporation, municipality and union council under the local government ministry to play an effective role in dengue prevention across the country this year.

He made the decision at the first meeting of the National Committee on Prevention of Dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases-2024 held at the ministry's conference room.

He asked the ministry concerned to take initiatives to increase the awareness of dengue at the union level involving more than 5,500 union council chairmen across the country.

As the village economy is also strong, the villages have taken on the characteristics of a city. Subsequently, Aedes mosquito larvae can be produced from clear stagnant water in the village.

"Since dengue cases were found in different parts of the country last year, there are fears that it may spread more this year if we do not destroy the breeding grounds of Aedes mosquitoes."

Stressing the need to destroy larvae by identifying those to control Aedes mosquitoes, Islam asked everyone to be aware so that water cannot remain stagnant in flower tubs, under refrigerators, houses and other discarded containers.

He also asked the relevant responsible authorities to be aware from the beginning of the year so that Aedes mosquitoes cannot breed in various government offices, hospitals and their medical waste and vehicles seized at various police stations.

Also at the meeting, Islam stressed the need to ensure quality testing of imported insecticides to destroy Aedes mosquito larvae.

The last time there was some controversy about mosquito insecticide spray; this year, it should be confirmed through testing so that the drug is effective, he said.

Islam also instructed the concerned ministries regarding this year's dengue research and data collection and preservation of the necessary results.

He also directed coordination among different relevant ministries.