People aged 20-40, especially women, mostly affected by dengue: Maleque

Health Minister Zahid Maleque today (November 13, 2022) said those aged between 20 and 40, especially women, are most affected by dengue.

"Dengue patients are dying within three days of infection. Late hospitalisation is one of the causes for the loss of life," he said while speaking at a programme organised to release new dengue guidelines at a city hotel yesterday.

Expressing hope the dengue casualty will go down if the new guidelines are followed, the minister said, "The previous guidelines have been revised as it is required now."

"Although there has been criticism about dengue control, no one has criticised the treatment of patients. But controlling Aedes mosquitoes is not in our hands. The health ministry deals with patients while other ministries look after dengue control," the minister said after taking part in the event virtually.

Tahmina Shirin, director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research, suggested patients that they take sufficient fluids in any form like oral saline, fruit juice and coconut water.

Entomologist Manzur A Chowdhury said the government will have to conduct a massive campaign to destroy Aedes mosquito breeding grounds and kill adult mosquitoes.