The government has declared the next seven days “challenging,” in combating the dengue crisis in Bangladesh.
Dr Sania Tahmina, director at the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) at a media briefing said, the weather is not favourable right now making the next seven days challenging.
"If we cannot attack the Aedes breeding grounds, it will become difficult to say where the situation will lead to," she added.
Meanwhile, Program Manager of the Health Directorate’s Malaria and Dengue Program Dr MM Akhtaruzzaman told Bangla Tribune, “The number of dengue infected patients is seen gradually decreasing in the hospitals.”
Quoting a Singaporean specialist; Akhtaruzzaman added that people must prevent themselves from mosquito contact.
The doctor also said that those who have been infected already need to ensure their safety so that they do not get infected with dengue fever for the second time.
New dengue cases have been escalating in other districts over the past week, at a faster pace, compared to Dhaka in previous weeks, with at least 1460 people infected in 24 hours as of Saturday morning.
Among those, 1460 patients were recorded till 8am Saturday from Friday 8am, 839 were from outer districts, and 621 from Dhaka, as per the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) data.
With this, Since Jan 1 till Saturday, a total of 51,476 people have been affected by dengue.
Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) indicated that a total of 40 patients have died across Bangladesh due to dengue, among 70 possible deaths from January 1 to August 17. However, the unofficial death toll is reported to be 100, so far.
In a media release issued on Saturday, DGHS said the number of admitted patients currently undergoing treatment in government, and private hospitals combined is 7,856.
A total of 4,043 patients are currently receiving treatment in 41 government and private hospitals in Dhaka, whereas a total of 3,813 people are undergoing treatment outside Dhaka, the media release said.
Among those admitted, a total of 43,580 have been released from their respective hospitals, and clinics. Patients' release rate increased to 85% compared to the patients admitted from Jan 1 to Aug 17.
Although a total of 16,253 cases were recorded in July, it crossed the record with 33,015 cases alone till Aug 17.