64% of critical dengue patients died within 3 days of hospitalisation: DGHS

About 64% of critically-ill dengue patients have died this year within three days of hospitalisation, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

A total of 75 dengue patients have so far died this year. Of them, 18 are from Dhaka North, nine from Dhaka South and 48 are from outside Dhaka. The number of deaths among female patients stood at 46. 

The fatality rate, within 48 hours of arriving at hospitals, is high as patients make a delay in seeking expert help after getting sick, said Dr Ekramul Haque, deputy programme manager at the National Malaria Elimination and Aedes Transmitted Diseases Control Programme of DGHS, in a press conference at DGHS on Thursday morning.  

Moreover, some 18 patients died within 3-6 days of hospital admission, six within 6-9 days and three within 9-30 days, Dr Ekramul Haque noted.

Meanwhile, the country reported the single-day highest number of deaths in dengue across the country on Thursday, said the DGHS in a press release on Thursday evening.  

With the new deaths, the dengue death toll rose to 83 this year, while 765 patients were admitted to different hospitals throughout the country in 24 hours till 8:00 am on Thursday

The DGHS has recorded 23,282 dengue cases and 20,504 recoveries this year.

During the press conference, DGHS said the capital's Mirpur, Uttara, Mugda, Jatrabari, Dhanmondi and Mohammadpur have been identified as dengue hotspots.

"Most of the patients this year were seen going into shock soon after their hospitalisation," Additional Director General (Administration) of DGHS Professor Dr Ahmadul Kabir said.

"Patients' health condition deteriorates sharply within five days of dengue diagnosis although the fever symptom may be gone within two days. This is a crucial time for the blood pressure and fluid management of a dengue patient. Unless the fluid level is maintained properly, patients go into shock, eventually making it difficult to recover from it," he explained.  

Professor Dr Tahmina Shirin, director of the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) said, "The DEN-1 and DEN-3 serotypes of dengue are occurring in Cox's Bazar and DEN-3 and DEN-4 are occurring in Dhaka this year. The rates of dengue morbidity and mortality are high due to infection with multiple serotypes."

Dengue infections are highest among people aged over 20 years while the highest number of cases has been detected in Cox's Bazar after Dhaka.

Health experts urged parents to practice caution as 38% of the dengue patients are children. The Dengue death rate among children is also high with 26 lives lost so far.

Expressing concern over the increase in the number of hospitalisation due to dengue infections in the country including the capital, DGHS said that initiatives should be taken to quickly identify the source and kill the Aedes mosquito. The city corporation should carry out activities to kill Aedes mosquitoes and public awareness is also important to prevent dengue.

Dr Kabirul Bashar, medical entomologist and professor of zoology at Jahangirnagar University, said, "Mosquito fogging two days a week will not work to control Aedes. Fogging should be done daily and larvae should be destroyed once a week."

"In hotspots like Uttara and Mirpur areas, at least 100 fogging machines should be used for two days to kill flying mosquitoes and larvae through a crash programme. City dwellers should be made aware of killing mosquitoes at home," he added.