Cold-Related Illness: Number of patients goes up in 6 dists
The season’s first cold wave seems to have started weakening since yesterday, but the number of patients affected by cold-related diseases have been increasing.
However, meteorologists forecasted that the temperature may again start to fall later this week.
“The temperature is rising and the cold wave is weakening in different parts of the country, but the cold didn’t reduce that much due to the wind,” said Muhammad Abul Kalam Mallik, a meteorologist of Bangladesh Meteorological Department.
“The rising trend will continue in the next couple of days. But there is a possibility of light rain between Wednesday and Thursday. Then, the temperature will again start to fall from Friday,” he added.
Yesterday, the lowest temperature was recorded at 10.2 degrees Celsius in Sitakunda of Chattogram and highest 27.8 degrees Celsius in Teknaf of Cox’s Bazar.
Although the severity of cold is reducing gradually, the spread of various cold-related diseases is still persisting and affecting people, mainly children and the elderly, in at least six districts.
Our correspondents from different districts reported that several hundred people were being admitted to hospitals with various cold-borne diseases -- including pneumonia, bronchitis and asthma -- over the last few days.
In Thakurgaon, about 284 people were admitted to the district’s Sadar Hospital so far in the last three days.
“Our hospital has 100 beds, but the number of patients has increased. It has become difficult for us to maintain everything in this situation,” Abul Kasem, acting civil surgeon of Thakurgaon, told our correspondent.
During a visit at the hospital yesterday, the correspondent found the hospital’s children ward was packed with patients. The children were found sharing beds, while their guardians were lying on the floor of the ward or the veranda.
In Narayanganj, paediatric specialists have been busy as the flow of patients has increased significantly over the last few days due to the cold wave.
Aminul Islam, a medical officer of Narayanganj 300-Bed Hospital, told our correspondent that a total of 106 child patients visited him till 12:00 noon yesterday. “The number is likely to cross 150 in two hours,” he added.
In Chattogram, Bogura, Kurigram and Chapainawabganj, several more patients were admitted to the districts’ sadar and general hospitals, reports our correspondents.
TRAIN SERVICES DELAYED
Meanwhile, most of the trains going towards the northern and north-western regions of the country were facing delays due to fog as the drivers have to run the trains within a restricted speed.
Mia Jahan, an additional director of Bangladesh Railway, told The Daily Star that at least eight trains on those routes were running one to seven hours behind schedule yesterday, like they have been since the last three to four days.
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