Dengue outbreak 2024: Oct deadliest month so far

Despite seven days still remaining before the end of the month, October has already become the deadliest month this year in terms of deaths and cases from dengue.

With seven more deaths reported in the 24 hours till yesterday morning, the total death toll this year has now risen to 264.

Of the deaths, 108 were recorded in the first 23 days of October.

Dengue claimed 80 lives in September, according to Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Out of a total of 53,196 cases this year, over 20,000 people were infected in this month alone, the data show.

Experts have attributed the surge in dengue fatalities this year to the nationwide lack of mosquito control measures by the relevant authorities. Besides, late hospitalisation, multiple infections, and false detection are also blamed for the rise.

The government should have effective surveillance to identify dengue hotspots. This will enable local government departments, community organisations, and educational institutions to conduct targeted interventions.

— GM Saifur Rahman Entomologist at National University

GM Saifur Rahman, an entomologist at National University, said this year the two Dhaka city corporations did not take adequate measures to identify and destroy active clusters of Aedes mosquitoes and their larvae. Moreover, the absence of surveillance in the district towns has been a major reason behind the outbreak, he said.

"The government should have effective surveillance to identify dengue hotspots. This will enable local government departments, community organisations, and educational institutions to conduct targeted interventions," he said.

"Creating a body to control mosquito population and breeding is needed to carry out these activities outside Dhaka," Saifur said.

Prof Kabirul Bashar, an entomologist at Jahangirnagar University, said it was quite predictable that the dengue situation would deteriorate this year too, as the anti-mosquito drive was not up to the mark.

"October might be the peak of the dengue outbreak. However, this year, the intensity of dengue cases will be active until December," he said.

This year, the Den-2 variant of dengue is particularly proving to be lethal, contributing to the rising death toll.

Prof Dr Tahmina Shirin, director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), told The Daily Star, "We are mostly seeing Den-2 (serotype-2) cases this year, similar to last year."

"Being infected with Den-2 does not necessarily spell danger. However, cross-infections involving different dengue serotypes can lead to severe complications, especially if the patient is not hospitalised in time," she said.

HM Nazmul Ahsan, associate professor at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital, said the Den-2 serotype is particularly risky for those previously infected with other serotypes.

Meanwhile, the government last month formed two six-member committees comprising experts to control the dengue outbreak.

Administrators of Dhaka's two city corporations were made convenors of the committees, while their executive officers were made member secretaries.

Officials of two city corporations said they are conducting crash programmes apart from their regular drive to control Aedes mosquitoes.