Syed Shemul Parvez :
The incidence of Aedes mosquito-borne dengue in the country is increasing at an alarming rate. A total of 3,901 dengue patients were admitted to the different hospitals from January 1 to August 5 this year. Of these, only 372 were hospitalized till June. Suddenly, in July, the number of patients began to rise seriously. The number of patients admitted to the hospital in July stood at 2,286.
This means that more than six times of the patients were admitted to the hospital in July alone.
In the first five days of August, 1,243 people were admitted to various hospitals and clinics of the country, on an average, more than two hundred patients were admitted every day.
At present, out of 1,055 patients admitted in hospitals across the country, 1,012 are in different government, autonomous and private hospitals and clinics in the capital. And 43 people have been admitted to hospitals outside Dhaka.
As such, about 96 per cent of dengue patients are residents of the capital.
Meanwhile, not only is the number of dengue cases on the rise, at least 10 of the hospitalised patients have died so far. There are eight of them in capital and two outside Dhaka. Most of the victims of dengue are children.
However, 10 people died of dengue this season, but none of them has been officially confirmed dead by the government.
Talking to several officials of the Department of Health, it was learned that various data of the deceased patients were sent to the Department of Pathology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) of the Department of Health to ascertain whether the deaths of the suspected dengue
victims were actually due to dengue.
The regular dengue bulletin sent by Dr. Mohammad Kamrul Kibria, Assistant Director of the Health Emergency Operations Center and Control Room also said that 10 dengue deaths have been reported to the IEDCR. But not a single death has been reported so far.
Meanwhile, mayor of two city corporations (North and South), Atiqul Islam and Barrister Fazle Noor Taposh, are rushing to the spot and giving necessary directions to reduce the incidence of dengue mosquitoes.
They are conducting raids on various houses with mobile courts. The Mosquito Control Department is also working to destroy the origin of dengue mosquitoes.
According to the Department of Health, a total of 3,901 dengue patients were admitted to hospitals across the country, including the capital, from January 1 this year to Thursday (August 5). Among them, 2,836 patients have returned home after recovery.
Health and pathology experts say that widespread public awareness, both individual and family level, is needed to reduce the incidence of dengue mosquitoes.
When wanted to know about the review of dengue deaths, the Chief Scientific Officer of IEDCR ASM Alamgir Hossain said that the review committee had not yet convened a meeting in this regard due to the coronavirus infection.
He said that in order to review a death, all the members of the expert committee have to sit together and analyze data. Above all, he commented that the meeting was being delayed due to Corona.
