Dengue outbreak seen peaking in August signalling more deaths

After 204 dengue-related deaths in July, fatalities are expected to rise further this month when rain patterns would worsen and this year's epidemic would likely peak.

Even though deaths are already high so far this month, better clinical management could even bring down the fatality rate and next week would be crucial to learn the monthly trend, said Dr M Mushtaq Hussain, adviser of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR). However, cases would rise inevitably, he added.

Ten new deaths were recorded in the 24 hours till Monday morning, a high daily toll for dengue-related deaths in this country, taking this year's total fatality to 261. Disease experts believe the dengue outbreak could peak this very month, after cases surged sevenfold in July from the previous month.

To contain this month's looming menace, people have to adopt a similar strong preventive approach they did during the Covid-19 onslaught. Instead of wearing facemasks to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, patients would have to be kept in mosquito nets with the same strictness to keep aedes mosquitoes away.

Mosquito killing campaigns would also have to be bolstered, said Dr Mushtaq.

However, Professor Kabirul Bashar of Jahangirnagar University's zoology department cautioned that due to climate change, rainy season has started late this year and the dengue outbreak could be prolonged.

Furthermore, aedes mosquito has mutated significantly this year to survive in different environments.

So far, 54,416 dengue patients have been admitted to hospitals this year, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) data. Nearly 44,900 dengue patients have been released from hospitals in the country this year.

A total of 9,264 dengue patients, including 4,869 in Dhaka, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country, shows the DGHS data.

The country recorded 281 dengue deaths in 2022, the highest on record after the 179 deaths recorded in 2019. Additionally, the DGHS recorded 62,423 dengue cases and 61,971 recoveries last year.