Deadly Dengue Outbreak Strikes Bangladesh
In a startling development, the death toll from Bangladesh’s most severe dengue outbreak ever recorded has surged past 1,000 this year, according to official data. Hospitals in the densely-populated country are grappling with the swift spread of the disease and struggling to accommodate patients.
As of 2023, at least 1,017 people have lost their lives, and nearly 209,000 individuals have fallen victim to the virus, making it the deadliest year since the first recorded epidemic in 2000. This year’s death toll is nearly four times higher than the entire previous year, which witnessed 281 dengue-related fatalities.
The situation is dire as hospitals battle to find space for the multitude of patients exhibiting symptoms like high fever, joint pain, and vomiting. To add to the challenge, there is a scarcity of intravenous fluids, say health officials.
Sanwar Hossain, a worried father, shared his experience, “I don’t know how my son was infected … suddenly he became feverish. I rushed him here and then doctors found out that he has dengue,” as he watched over his son at the Mugda General Hospital in Dhaka.
Rising Concerns in the Dengue Outbreak
The hospital administrator, known as Niatuzzaman, raised concerns over the shift in patient demographics. Although there has been a decrease in patients from Dhaka, there has been a troubling increase in admissions from rural areas across the country.
Dengue, a viral infection transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, prevails in South Asia during the June-to-September monsoon season. Stagnant water provides the ideal breeding ground for these disease-carrying mosquitoes.
Government Steps Up the Fight
Rising temperatures and extended monsoon seasons have set the stage for a surge in dengue cases, claim experts in entomology and epidemiology. The government has responded by intensifying its anti-dengue campaign, encompassing awareness campaigns and efforts to eradicate mosquito larvae after rain spells.
However, a lack of comprehensive prevention measures has allowed the dengue-carrying mosquito to infiltrate all corners of Bangladesh, explains Kabirul Bashar, an entomologist and zoology professor at Jahangirnagar University. He notes the concerning transition of the virus from Dhaka city to other urban and rural areas.
Prominent Bangladeshi physician ABM Abdullah emphasizes the importance of early detection and access to proper medical care, which can significantly reduce the death rate to fewer than 1% of afflicted individuals.