Dengue outbreak in Bangladesh sparks alarm after 364 individuals die this yr and infections rise

DHAKA – Bangladesh is struggling to cope with increased casualties and infections from dengue this yr, with officers warning that the loss of life toll this month may break data.

The federal government’s Directorate Normal of Well being Companies studies the 2023 loss of life toll from the mosquito-born sickness has reached 364 within the south Asian nation. Greater than 78,000 individuals have been contaminated since January this yr, it mentioned.

Officers warn that the variety of deaths and infections this month may set a brand new, grim document. Within the first 10 days of August, greater than 23,000 individuals have been identified with dengue, in comparison with 43,854 circumstances throughout all of July. Greater than 100 individuals have died to date this month, over a 3rd as many deaths from the sickness throughout all of final yr.

In 2022, 62,382 individuals have been contaminated and 281 individuals died of dengue, in line with authorities figures.

Dengue causes flu-like signs that most individuals get well from, but additionally can quickly result in inside bleeding, organ failure and even loss of life. There typically is not any particular remedy for the illness, however vaccines can be found Different nations, similar to Cyprus and Bolivia, even have seen outbreaks this yr.

Consultants say monsoon season may exacerbate the outbreak within the nation of greater than 160 million individuals. Intermittent rains in August is likely one of the main causes for the outbreak, in line with specialists. Many individuals work outdoors on Bangladesh’s quite a few building tasks, together with residential and large infrastructure tasks throughout the capital metropolis of Dhaka.

Contaminated individuals are overwhelming hospitals throughout the nation, however some docs and nurses usually are not sufficiently skilled, or skilled, in learn how to deal with dengue circumstances, specialists say.

Mohammed Niatuzzaman, Director of Mugdha Medical Collage Hospital, mentioned on Thursday that they have been struggling to offer important assist to severe sufferers who produce other illnesses. Most of the important sufferers are dying, he mentioned.

Folks with immune suppression — like most cancers sufferers — or individuals with co-morbidities like diabetes, kidney dialysis or organ transplants are notably weak, he mentioned.

“People who have weaker immune system are at higher risk to be infected multiple times by a virulent variant (of dengue),” he mentioned.

The Ministry of Well being has organized further beds in state-run hospitals in Dhaka and out of doors, however a scarcity of IV saline has turn out to be a problem. The authorities have requested the producers to extend their manufacturing of IV fluid.

Niatuzzaman mentioned it is important to struggle the illness on a number of fronts.

“It must start from individual level and rise to our collective effort. Doctors are only a part of it. If we work together and everybody shows awareness and acts responsibly, our collective effort will make dengue prevention possible,” he said.

Two city corporations in Dhaka opened emergency teams to coordinate anti-mosquito drive and urged the residents to be aware of the breeding possibilities of Aedes mosquitoes, which thrive in the region.

Mobile teams have been deployed to search homes to see if water is stored where mosquitoes could breed.

But local residents gave the government effort mild reviews.

Salma Jahan, a Dhaka resident and mother of a Dengue patient, said that she was worried.

“The government took a lot of measures last time. They applied insecticide in a lot of water bodies and its surroundings in our area. They also went to people’s houses and applied liquid insecticide on drains and dirty places. We still have such places but no insecticide is being applied,” she said, questioning whether the treatments are even effective.

The teams come with insecticide every few days, she added, “however mosquitoes don’t die from it.”