155 Die of Dengue in October Alone as Health Directorate Dodges Accountability

Government officials have issued statements about eliminating dengue and measles, but deaths continue. People are dying every day, while the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) continues to issue press releases without effective action.

Eleven people died of dengue across the country in the 24 hours until 8am on Tuesday, bringing the death toll this year to 400. Of them, 155 died in the first 27 days of October alone. During the same period, 2,071 patients were admitted to hospitals, according to a DGHS press release issued on Tuesday.

Dhaka Division recorded the highest number of admissions, with 899 patients. The figures for other divisions were 250 in Khulna, 241 in Chattogram, 229 in Rajshahi, 217 in Barishal, 112 in Rangpur, 97 in Mymensingh and 26 in Sylhet.

DGHS data show that dengue deaths remained relatively low during the first five months of the year. Two people died in January and another two in February. No deaths were reported in March or April, while one person died in May. The toll rose to 13 in June, 36 in July and 43 in August. In September, 148 people died, followed by 155 in the first 27 days of October.

September and October accounted for 303 deaths, more than 75 per cent of the annual total. Only 97 people died during the first eight months. October’s death toll has already exceeded September’s total.

Highest Single-Day Death Toll

The DGHS reported 11 dengue deaths on Tuesday, the highest single-day toll this year. Previously, 10 deaths were recorded on October 6 and 15.

From January 1 to 8am on October 27, a total of 128,237 people were admitted to hospitals with dengue nationwide. Of them, 122,422 recovered and were discharged. Currently, 6,415 patients are receiving treatment at hospitals.

Entomologist Dr Kabirul Bashar, a teacher at Jahangirnagar University’s Department of Zoology, said the dengue situation could remain worrying in October and November. Although infections might decline somewhat in November, significant improvement might not come until December.

He stressed the need for continued prevention and stronger field-level surveillance. Controlling dengue requires identifying Aedes mosquito breeding sites, monitoring larval concentrations and assessing the effectiveness of insecticides. Indiscriminate spraying without identifying breeding sites is unlikely to produce the desired results, he said.

Medical specialist Dr A.B.M. Abdullah said dengue prevention requires destroying mosquito breeding sites and eliminating adult mosquitoes. He called for regular cleanliness drives and urged individuals to protect themselves from mosquito bites.

Some patients deteriorate rapidly and develop shock within one or two days, he said. People should therefore seek medical advice promptly if they develop a fever.

Dr Abdullah advised children, older people, pregnant women and patients with cancer or liver disease to exercise particular caution. Dengue patients should drink sufficient fluids and seek medical attention if they experience vomiting, difficulty eating or diarrhoea. He also warned against taking painkillers without medical advice.

Dr Muhammad Nurul Islam, deputy director of Mugda Medical College Hospital, said repeated dengue infections could be one possible reason for the rapid deterioration of some children’s health. He urged people to take symptoms seriously, seek medical advice and undergo necessary tests. Patients should be closely monitored even before dengue is confirmed, he added.

Six More Dengue Deaths in Khulna, Two Measles-Related Deaths

Khulna Bureau

Six more people died of dengue in Khulna Division in the past 24 hours, while 250 patients were admitted to hospitals. The latest deaths brought the division’s toll this year to 76. A total of 20,055 people have been infected.

Khulna Divisional Health Director Dr Sheikh Md Mosharraf Hossain disclosed the information on Tuesday.

Of the newly admitted patients, 219 were admitted to government hospitals and 31 to private facilities. Khulna district recorded the highest number, with 68 admissions, followed by Jhenaidah with 38, Jashore with 33, Magura with 18, Bagerhat with 17, Satkhira with 13, Kushtia with 11 and Meherpur with 10. Narail and Chuadanga each recorded five admissions.

Khulna Medical College Hospital admitted 29 new patients, while Satkhira Medical College Hospital admitted three. The health department also reported 68 admissions at other government and private hospitals in Khulna.

Since January, 7,706 people have been infected in Khulna district, the highest among districts in the division. A total of 18,506 patients have recovered and been discharged, while 1,045 remain hospitalised. Another 428 patients have been referred elsewhere for advanced treatment.

Meanwhile, two more people died with measles-like symptoms in the division, one in Khulna and the other in Kushtia. The number of deaths associated with measles-like symptoms this year has reached 55, raising further concerns about the region’s public health situation.