Dengue outbreak: 1,649 hospitalised in 24 hours

Dengue cases are still surging across the country as 1,649 more new people were hospitalised with the mosquito-borne deadly virus in 24 hours till 8:00 am on Saturday.

Around 22,919 people were admitted to different hospitals while 16,047 of them were released after treatment till today from January 1, according to the fresh data of Director General of Health Services (DGHS).

According to the DGHS data, 18 dengue patients died during the same period, but the unofficial death toll is much higher.

At least 13,182 people were infected in last month while dengue infection count of an entire year never crossed the 11,000 mark in the last 18 years.

In 2017, the third-highest dengue cases were recorded in November.

Experts are worried that dengue outbreak may continue until October or until the end of November.

The risk would remain unless the authorities concerned as well as the people take all-out measures to combat the Aedes mosquitoes now.

It is clear that serious risk of dengue remains over this period, the experts said.

INFECTIONS EXCEED 21,000

A record 21,235 people have been diagnosed with dengue this year, including 3,464 outside Dhaka, the DGHS said.

In the 24 hours until Friday 8:00am, 1,687 new dengue cases have been reported.

Two pregnant women died in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital in Dhaka on Wednesday and yesterday while three people died in Mitford Hospital, in Noakhali, and Faridpur.

Maliha Mahfuz Anya, who was undergoing treatment at the Intensive Care Unit of the BSMMU, died around 2:30am yesterday, BSMMU Director Brig Gen AK Mahbubul Haque said.

Another pregnant woman Farjana died Wednesday morning while she was receiving treatment at the hospital, he added.

Railway employee Mosharraf Hossain Raju, 30, died yesterday after being diagnosed with dengue at a Noakhali hospital.

Anowar Hossain, 40, a human rights activist of Munshiganj died at Mitford Hospital.

Sharmin, 22, died at Faridpur Medical College Hospital on Thursday, said Kamda Prashad Saha, superintendent of Fardipur Medical College Hospital.

According to sources in hospitals, at least 50 people have died of dengue this year. The DGHS, however, puts the figure at 14.