Dhaka, Aug 1 (UNB) – Dengue cases are still surging across the country as two more people have died and 1,712 more have been hospitalised with the mosquito-borne virus, creating panic among people.
The new deaths were reported in Dhaka and Madaripur districts on Wednesday night and Thursday while the cases of new dengue infection across the country in 24 hours till 8am on Thursday.
The deceased were identified as Sohrab Hossain Sourav, 10, a Class-III student and son of Firoz Hossain of Ispahani area in South Keraniganj of Dhaka, and Sharmin, 22, daughter of Md Rubel of Rajoir upazila in Madaripur.
Nirmal Kumar Sen, deputy director of Sir Salimullah Medical College and Mitford Hospital in the capital, said Sourav, who was infected with dengue, died at the hospital around 10pm on Wednesday.
With this, two people hailing from Keraniganj have so far died of dengue. On July 8, ninth grader Fahim died of the mosquito-borne fever.
Kamada Prasad Saha, coordinator of Faridpur Medical College Hospital, said Sharmin was hospitalised with dengue fever on July 28.
She lost her battle to the fever around 3:30pm on Thursday, he said.
Kamada also said 88 dengue patients were admitted to the hospital since July 20 and three of them were referred to Dhaka. Currently, there were 65 dengue patients at the hospital.
Of the new dengue cases, 1,150 were reported in the capital alone, manifesting that the city is apparently in the grip of a serious outbreak of dengue fever. Three of these patients were suffering from dengue hemorrhagic or severe dengue.
On Wednesday, the number of dengue cases all over the country was 1,477, while 1,300 on Tuesday 1,096 on Monday, indicating a gradual rise in dengue infection, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Currently, 5,838 dengue patients are undergoing treatment at different hospitals across the country, it said.
From January 1 till the date, 19,517 dengue patients were admitted to hospitals while 13,661 of them released after treatment.
According to the DGHS data, 14 dengue patients died during the same period, but the unofficial death toll is much higher.
Most of the public hospitals in the capital are finding it difficult to accommodate so many people coming to them with dengue fever, and Dhaka Medical College Hospital is bearing the brunt as 222 out of current 1,150 patients in the capital are receiving treatment there.
Health and urban experts are warning that that the situation in rural areas may worsen as many residents of the city carrying the dengue virus will travel to villages to celebrate the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha.
Amid the growing concerns over the spread of the disease, Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on Thursday said the prevailing dengue situation is alarming and difficult to deal with, but not out of control yet.
“We’ve taken this as a challenge. We’ll face the situation under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” he said while delivering his speech at a photo show organised by Bangladesh Awami Jubo League, marking the Month of Mourning, at Bangladesh Shilapakala Academy in the city.
Meanwhile, Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sayeed Khokon said the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) is expected to be free from the dengue menace in the first week of September.
Talking to reporters at the Secretariat, he also claimed that they have managed to free DSCC’s 11 wards from dengue.
Amid media reports on short supply of kits to detect dengue, Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Thursday said there will be no crisis of such kits in the country.
Talking to reporters after an inter-ministerial at the Secretariat, he also said all the civil surgeons across the country have been on high alert to tackle the dengue situation.
According to reports reaching the UNB news desk, a number of people were infected with dengue fever anew across the country.
Thirteen Dhaka University (DU) students were diagnosed with dengue on Thursday.
On the first day after installation of the dengue detection machine at the DU Medical Centre (DUMC), a total of 168 students provided blood samples on Wednesday for dengue tests.
The test results were found on Thursday when it was seen that 13 students were detected with dengue.
Dr Sarwar Jahan Muttafi, Chief Medical Officer at DUMC, said: “Both the blood platelet count and dengue identification can be done here for students at free of cost. The daily capacity of the device is 150 and it’s operated by Bangladesh Association of Clinical Biochemists.”
He also said they will provide services to students from 8am till the last one is present.
DU Vice-chancellor Prof M Akhtaruzzaman said, “Dengue has spread across the country. How can we leave our students in such a situation as we’re their present guardians? We’ll take care of our students as family members.”
In Cumilla, a total of 11 new dengue patients were hospitalised in the last 24 hours until Thursday noon raising the total number to 65.
In Khagrachhari, 11 people, including a child, were admitted to Sadar Hospital with dengue virus in the last four days while four were discharged after their recovery.
In Chandpur, 11 dengue patients, including three women, were admitted to Sadar Hospital in last 24 hours while a total of 18 dengue patients are undergoing treatment there.
In Kurigram, 24 people were affected with dengue in the last nine days. Of them, 15 are receiving treatment presently at Sadar Hospital.
In Bagerhat, nine dengue patients were admitted to the hospitals in between l July 27 and July 31, and eight of them returned back home after treatment, said Civil Surgeon Dr GKM Samsuzzaman. He suggested all to use mosquito net to prevent the spread of the disease.
In Magura, eight people, including two women, were admitted to Sadar Hospital over the last two days, said Civil Surgeon Dr Pradip Kumar Saha.
In Pirojpur, nine people were admitted to different hospitals in the district with dengue virus in the last three days.
In Satkhira, at least 28 dengue cases were reported in the district as of Thursday noon and eight of them are undergoing treatment at Sadar hospital, said Civil Surgeon Dr Sheikh Abu Sahin.
