Staff Reporter :
A total of 203 death cases by dengue have so far been reported to Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) amid the outbreak of the mosquito born disease across the country.
Of them, 116 cases were evaluated by Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) and confirmed 68 deaths by dengue. However, the unofficial death toll is reported to be over 156, so far.
Moreover, the dengue infected people alarmingly are increasing outside of the Dhaka.
Though Aedes aegypti has been primarily associated with dengue fever, experts think that another type of Aedes mosquito might be a reason for the spread of dengue outside Dhaka.
A survey of the IEDCR being conducted since last month has found the presence of Aedes albopictus outside Dhaka.
Experts said, reports of a growing number of dengue cases outside Dhaka indicate that their suspicion regarding the secondary vector is likely true. They recommended carrying out an extensive survey and taking action accordingly.
Prof Kabirul Bashar, entomologist at Jahangirnagar University, said it is now a matter of concern as albopictus is tough to control.
Two people, including an eight-month-old baby, died of dengue at Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH).
The deceased were identified as Rafiz, son of Quamruzzaman of Manirampu upazila in Jashore, and Khabir Uddin, 50, son of Abdul Khaleque of the same upazila.
Dr Partha Pratim Debnath of KMCH said the baby boy was admitted to the hospital on Sunday afternoon with dengue shock syndrome and later shifted to the Intensive Care Unit as his condition deteriorated.
He died in the early hours of Monday, he said.
KMCH Dengue Ward coordinator and resident physician Dr Shailendranath Biswas said Khabir succumbed to the mosquito-borne disease on Sunday evening.
A total of 653 dengue patients were admitted to different hospitals across Bangladesh in the last 24 hours.
Till Monday, 193 patients were admitted in Dhaka and 460 in districts outside Dhaka.
Dengue, a mosquito-borne virus, spreads among humans through its carrier, the Aedes mosquito.
The Health Emergency Operation Centre and Control Room at the DGHS, in a press release on Monday, said the number of patients currently undergoing treatment in government and private hospitals in the country was 2,507.
As many as 983 patients are currently receiving treatment in 41 government and private hospitals in Dhaka, whereas 1,524 people are undergoing treatment outside Dhaka, the DGHS data said.
Since January 1 till September 16, a total of 81,839 people have been affected by dengue.
Among those admitted, a total of 79,129 have been released from their respective hospitals and clinics after treatment.
