A sharp rise in dengue cases is hurting Bangladesh’s fragile healthcare system, which is already overburdened by the Covid-19 pandemic for the last one and a half years. For this, health experts and urban planners blame the two Dhaka city corporations for failing to tackle the mosquito menace, the prime reason behind the rise in dengue cases. A news report published in a national daily, quoting the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), on Tuesday said that a total of 6,321 patients have been diagnosed with dengue this year. Of the infected, only 330 were from outside Dhaka. A total of 3,663 people were diagnosed during the current month till Monday morning, which indicates a fast-rising trend of the menace.
According to the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), a large number of dengue patients this year is being infected with DEN-3, a variant of the dengue virus, which can increase mortality risk. In previous years, Bangladesh witnessed outbreaks of DEN-1 and DEN-2 strands but this year DEN-3 is more prevalent. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says, DEN-3 and DEN-4 strands are considered deadly and cause plasma leakage, respiratory distress and organ impairment in patients. It is difficult for dengue patients to get admitted to hospitals which are filled with corona patients.
The experts said that the city corporations instead of going for early prevention, waited until the aedes larvae hatched. Dengue cases increase every alternate year, they said adding the country witnessed a massive dengue outbreak in 2019. So there was a probability of higher dengue cases this year. The DGHS on Monday announced the death of 25 people from dengue at different hospitals so far this year. In the worst-ever dengue outbreak in 2019 Bangladesh recorded more than 100,000 cases and 179 deaths. This year however the situation is complicated by the Covid-19 as dengue presents similar symptoms, making the illnesses more difficult to diagnose.
Aedes mosquito larvae must be destroyed by the city corporations through regular spraying of insecticide as the current rainy season is the prime time for its breeding. The mosquito elimination drive of the city corporations should not continue to be a mere eyewash.
