As the country shivers in a cold wave over the last few days, the number of patients with cold-related diseases has gone up drastically in Kurigram.
The cold wave has been particularly harsh for people living in the 405 Char areas along 16 rivers including the Brahmaputra, Dharla, Teesta, Dudhkumar and Fulkumar. Low-income people, especially the young and the old are the worst victims.
The biting cold is affecting much of the population in the district and they are suffering from cold-related diseases like diarrhoea and pneumonia.
The number of the patients almost doubled in the diarrhoea and Isolation unit of the Kurigram General Hospital till on Sunday, confirms the hospital authority.
Over 28 patients, mostly children, were admitted to the hospital in the last three days with mostly diarrhoea and pneumonia, said Resident Medical Officer Dr Shahinur Rahman Sardar.
Of them, 14 children were admitted to the hospital with pneumonia and respiratory infection in the last 24 hours, he added.
Shahinur also said the number of patients with cold-related diseases are increasing in the upazila health complexes, as well.
Dr Al Amin Masud, a paediatrician at the hospital suggested that children should be prohibited from playing outside, and kept away from mosquito coils as the respiratory diseases are on the rise.
The lowest temperature recorded in the district is 12.5 degrees Celsius on Sunday with the sun remaining elusive for the last five days.
The district administration said it has distributed 51,514 blankets among the cold-hit people in all nine upazilas of the district.