The number of dengue patients in the country is increasing day by day. The death row is long. The country has seen dengue in the recently concluded month of September. Whereas the number of infected in September was three times as compared to the previous month of August. There were as many deaths in one month as the previous eight months. However, dengue infections in October may exceed September levels. Fears are being expressed that dengue may take a more severe form in October.
Analysis of the data showed that the highest number of dengue cases and deaths occurred in September during the nine months of this year. The health department reported 80 deaths from dengue in September, which is about 50 percent of the total deaths in the nine months. A total of 163 people died of dengue in the country from January to September.
On the other hand, 30,938 people have been infected with dengue in the last 9 months. Where 18,097 people were infected in September, which is about 60 percent of the total number of infected.
Pressure of dengue patients in Dhaka hospitals increased As the number of dengue patients increases, there is a shortage of beds in Dhaka’s main government hospitals. Patients have to be treated from the hospital floor.
On Tuesday (October 1), Dhaka Medical College (Dhamek) Hospital was visited on the ground, and a male dengue ward has been set up on the fourth floor of the hospital. All the beds there are full of dengue patients. Overcrowding of patients on floors and corridors as well. Due to lack of movement space, patients and relatives are getting tangled on the fourth floor. A nurse in that dengue ward told Daily Industry that there are 62 patients admitted in this ward.
But the beds are only for 20 people. They struggle to cope with patient stress. Talking to doctors on duty in Dhaka hospitals, it is known that most of those who are now admitted to hospital due to dengue are residents of Dhaka. However, 20-25 percent of patients are coming from outside Dhaka.
Mugda Medical College Hospital has seen the highest pressure of dengue patients after DMCH. There are no beds available. Apart from this, there is an excess of dengue patients in Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, Sir Salimullah Medical College (Mitford) Hospital and Kurmitola General Hospital.
Awareness about dengue is increasing Mugda Medical College Hospital Deputy Director Dr. Satyajit Saha told that the awareness among people about dengue seems to have increased compared to last year. Patients are admitted to the hospital only if they test positive within a day or two of the onset of fever.
He said, in the case of dengue patients, the fact that the blood platelets decrease rapidly is given importance. However, not only platelets are reduced, the patient also dies due to dengue shock syndrome. So, if the platelet count is above 10,000 and there is no active bleeding, there is no reason to panic.
More pressure on four govt hospitals
The government has designated 18 government hospitals in the capital for dengue treatment. Currently, the number of patients admitted in these hospitals is 976. 499 of them are undergoing treatment in four medical college hospitals.
According to the analysis of the government’s data on dengue, from January 1 to September 30 this year, 30,938 dengue patients were admitted to the hospital for treatment. Among them, 13,508 people were admitted in Dhaka and 17,430 people were admitted outside Dhaka.
A total of 8,239 dengue patients have received treatment in designated government hospitals of the capital in these 9 months. Among them, 4,934 patients have received treatment in only four hospitals, which is 60 percent of the total dengue patients admitted to Dhaka government hospitals.
According to the Department of Health, 30,938 people were infected with dengue in the country from the beginning of this year to September. Among them, more than 18 thousand people have been infected in September alone. Analysis of the data shows that the infection rate was 14 percent in the first week of last month.
As seen in the last week of the month, it has increased by 24 percent. The number of deaths has also increased. 11 people lost their lives due to dengue in the first 7 days of September. And the death toll in the last 7 days was 30.
Dengue can take dangerous turn in OctoberIn this situation, entomologists have expressed fear that the severity of dengue may increase in the month of October. It is even believed to surpass all previous 9-month records.
In this regard, Jahangirnagar University (JAB) Zoology Department Professor Kabirul Bashar told, I have already said that the number of dengue patients will increase in September. This number did not increase suddenly. However, the city corporation and local administration have not yet taken any effective initiative to control dengue. In this situation, the severity of dengue may increase in October.
Experts see the heavy rains in August and September as the reason for the increase in dengue cases in these two months compared to the previous months of the year. According to the data, there has been 46 percent more rainfall than normal in August this year. Even in September, the amount of rain was not at all low.
Professor Kabirul Bashar said, if dengue infection increases, the most emphasis should be on killing flying mosquitoes. We are yet to see any such initiative. Dengue infection is increasing in different parts of the country. In October it may take a more dire form.
When asked when the dengue infection can be under control, he said that if the amount of rainfall decreases, the infection situation will be under control within a month. However, he urged to determine dengue hotspot and take proper measures.
No initiative to determine dengue hotspots. A dengue survey is conducted to determine the prevalence of Aedes mosquitoes in any area during the dengue season. In addition, under the management of the Department of Health, every year the Disease Control Branch of the Department of Health conducts three rounds of dengue larva survey and gives it to the local government institutions.
The pre-monsoon survey was conducted in February this year. But the monsoon and post-monsoon surveys have not been done yet. The government completed the two-phase survey by October last year.
