Dengue has returned as a new panic in the ongoing coronavirus epidemic; At the end of the monsoon, when the incidence of this mosquito-borne disease began to decrease, this time the deadly disease appeared more.
Hundreds of people have been reported to have contracted dengue this October. Among them, a doctor died of dengue at a hospital in the capital.
Aedes mosquito-borne dengue usually occurs during the rainy season. The number of dengue cases in Dhaka started in June last year, with a new record in July and August. Later, from September-October, the number of dengue cases started decreasing.
After the first dengue outbreak in Bangladesh in 2000, the highest number of people were infected and died last year. According to the government, millions of people have been affected and more than two and a quarter hundred people have died, although the number is much higher, according to data from hospitals and doctors across the country.
This time, despite the panic over dengue, people have been under house arrest due to the coronavirus epidemic since last March. After two months of continuous lockdown, people have come out, but the situation is still not completely normal.
Meanwhile, at the end of the monsoon season, the number of dengue patients is increasing this October. Experts say Aedes aegypti, a carrier of dengue mosquitoes, is more likely to be born in October due to heavy rains caused by climate change. The incidence of dengue has also increased.
They have suggested conducting AIDS mosquito control activities throughout the year to prevent dengue.
According to the Health Emergency Operations Center and Control Room of the Department of Health, 602 people were admitted to hospitals across the country from January to October 29.
According to their analysis, 199 people were infected with dengue in January this year, 45 in February, 26 in March, 25 in April, 10 in May, 20 in June, 23 in July, 6 in August and 46 in September.
Till October 29, 136 people have been admitted to the hospital with dengue. The number of patients admitted daily has increased in the last ten days.
Aedes aegypti mosquito carrying dengue virus.
517 dengue victims are from Dhaka. Of the remaining 6, 34 are from Dhaka Division, 13 from Mymensingh Division, 11 from Chittagong Division, one from Rajshahi Division, 23 from Khulna Division, three from Barisal Division and one from Sylhet Division.
A doctor named Zahidur Rashid Sumon died of dengue hemorrhagic fever at a private hospital in the capital on October 25.
The country has so far sent four deaths to the IEDCR, who are suspected to have died of dengue. The IEDCR reviewed the data of two of them and confirmed that one died due to dengue.
In the last few years, the number of dengue cases in Bangladesh has never been as high as in October. The highest number of attacks in 2019 was in August. Then in September, October, November the outbreak of dengue gradually decreased.
AIDS mosquitoes have increased after heavy rains in October this year. Professor Kabirul Bashar of the Department of Zoology at Jahangirnagar University is looking at the impact of climate change on the issue.
He told bdnews24.com on Friday that the amount of rain that fell in October was not the same as in other years.
“Rainfall pattern has changed due to climate change. Due to this the type of disease has also changed. The number of dengue cases in the history of Bangladesh was never peaked in October. It seems to me that this is the biggest reason for getting the most dengue patients in October. ”
Professor Kabirul said that people are less likely to go to the hospital as everything is limited due to coronavirus. As a result, the number of fever patients has also decreased in the hospital. Fever patients are going to the hospital more now as the situation is a bit better.
"It simply came to our notice then. Due to this, the number of admitted patients seems to be more. ”
However, he also expressed concern over the outbreak of dengue in October-November and suggested that AIDS mosquito control activities be carried out throughout the year.
As the number of dengue patients continues to rise, immediate steps are being taken to control the AIDS mosquito, the carrier of the disease, said Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Md. Atiqul Islam.
He told bdnews24.com on Friday that arrangements would be made to collect the home addresses of the dengue victims and spray them there. The combing operation is starting again from November 2.
"I have instructed all the hospitals where the patients are admitted and spraying mosquito repellent around the infected person's house. We have this database where Aedes mosquito larvae were found more in some areas last year. According to him, mosquito repellent will be sprayed in those places again.
"In this regard, I would like to urge the city dwellers to keep the water clean after rains."
Dhaka South City Corporation's public relations officer said if you want to know whether a new program has been taken to pull the dengue rush. Abu Naser told bdnews24.com that the DSCC has regular activities to control AIDS mosquitoes.
“Adult siding, larval siding is being done regularly. Mobile courts are also being set up to destroy AIDS mosquito breeding grounds. ”
According to a recent survey by the Disease Control Branch of the Department of Health, 25 wards of Dhaka's two city corporations are at risk of dengue.
The Bruto Index, an indicator of the density of AIDS mosquito larvae in nine wards of the DNCC and 16 wards of the DSCC, was conducted during the monsoon survey conducted in the two city corporation areas from July 19 to 26.
It's Timely writing