352 dengue cases logged in 24 hours

One more death and 352 new dengue cases were reported in the 24 hours to yesterday morning--the highest single-day tally so far this year--with Barishal division reporting high infection rates.

The previous highest number of cases was recorded at 288 on on June 11, according to data from the Directorate General of Health Services.

The deceased person is a 25-year-old female from Barura of Cumilla. As of June 21, eight people died from dengue this year.

Currently, 882 dengue patients are receiving treatment in hospitals across the country.

The total number of fatalities and confirmed cases from the mosquito-borne disease in Bangladesh rose to 31 and 7,429 respectively as experts say a rapid dengue outbreak looms large across the country.

Of the total infected cases yesterday, 167 (47 percent) were reported from Barishal, a division already grappling with the huge number of dengue cases.

In Barishal, Barguna district is seeing the most cases. Of the 3,447 cases reported from Barishal (out of city corporation) since January, 2,098 cases are from Barguna.

Residents, entomologists, doctors and municipal authorities blame the outbreak on poor drainage, waterlogging, indiscriminate littering and ineffective mosquito control.

As of June 21, 3,084 cases were reported in June, which is 42 percent of the total cases reported this year. The second highest number of cases reported in a single month was in May: 1,773.

Meanwhile, experts fear that the situation this year could spiral into a full-blown health crisis during the monsoon without immediate and coordinated action.

Despite early signs, the authorities have failed to take adequate pre-monsoon measures, leaving both urban and rural areas vulnerable to fast-spreading transmission, they said.

Last year, dengue claimed the lives of 575 people and infected 101,214 people, according to DGHS.