Staff Reporter: Sept 16, 2023

Bangladesh today exceeded 800 dengue deaths as 14 new deaths were reported in the last 24 hours till 8am today, while 2,598 were admitted to different hospitals during the same period.

On September 2, Bangladesh recorded 21 dengue-related deaths, the highest
number in a single day, this year while the country reported 20 dengue-linked deaths, second highest deaths during the current year, on September 7.

"The death toll from dengue infection crossed 800-mark as the authorities
recorded 804 dengue deaths between January 1, 2023 and September 16, a press release of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said.

"During the period, 881 dengue patients were hospitalised in Dhaka city
while 1,717 were admitted to different hospitals outside it," the DGHS daily statement added.

"This year, 804 deaths, the highest in a year since dengue was detected in 2000, were reported from dengue disease while 281 died last year," the
statement said.

With the new cases, the total number of patients rose to 1,64,562 the
statement said, adding: "This year, some 1,53,428 patients were released from different hospitals out of the total patients."

"A total of 10,330 dengue patients are undergoing treatment at different
hospitals. Of them, 4,208 are in Dhaka while 6,122 are outside of the capital city," it added.

According to the DGHS statement, among the total dengue positive cases,
63,780 are female and 1,00782 are male. Of the total deaths, 489 are female and 335 male.

The authorities have recorded the highest number of dengue positive cases
outside Dhaka in August this year meaning the mosquito disease gripped the entire country.

August witnessed 71,976 dengue positive cases, the highest cases in a single month since dengue outbreak began in 2000 in the country, while 342 dengue-related deaths were reported in the current month, the DGHS statement said.

According to the health experts, the vector-borne disease hit Dhaka city in 2000 subsequently the dengue positive cases were detected in Dhaka city only. But the dengue disease is changing its nature and it is gradually spreading across the country, they said, adding: "All 64 districts of the country have witnessed dengue positive cases."

July alone recorded 43,854 dengue positive cases with 204 deaths, the DGHS statement read.

As of September 16, the authorities recorded 40, 754 dengue positive cases while 211 deaths from the mosquito-borne disease during the same period.

While addressing a seminar held recently, Prof Dr Md Sharfuddin Ahmed, Vice Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), suggested following treatment protocol properly to treat dengue patients to avert deaths as the country already has set all time record in both deaths and infections since the mosquito-borne disease was detected in 2000.

He urged the physicians and other medical professionals to maintain treatment protocol while treating dengue patients as it is very crucial part of medical services for dengue patients.

The BSMMU Vice Chancellor also dubbed fluid management as an important part of treatment protocol for dengue patients, saying all medical professional have to be cautious for fluid management of dengue patients as over doses of fluid and fluid deficiency caused deaths.