Dengue: 12 more die, 2,959 hospitalised

At least 12 more people died of dengue today as the country grapples with a record outbreak of the mosquito-borne fever, with hospitals struggling to make space for patients.

Out of the 12 deaths, 7 were reported from Dhaka city. At least 2,959 dengue patients were hospitalised during the time, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

At least 364 people have died so far in 2023 and nearly 78,028 infected, making this the deadliest year since the first recorded epidemic in 2000.

According to DGHS figures, a total of 9,790 dengue patients are undergoing treatment at different hospitals across the country. A total of 67,874 dengue patients were released so far from hospitals across the country this year, it added.

Hospitals, especially in the capital Dhaka, are struggling to find space for the large number of patients suffering high fever, joint pain and vomiting, health officials said.

The government has launched initiatives to limit the spread of mosquito-borne diseases, from awareness campaigns to efforts to kill mosquito larvae following a spell of rains, officials said.

There is no vaccine or drug that specifically treats dengue, which is common in South Asia during the June-to-September monsoon season when the Aedes aegypti mosquito that spreads the deadly virus thrives in stagnant water.

Experts said they expect to get more cases through August and September. This year's deaths already top the previous record of 281 from last year.

Early detection and access to proper medical care can reduce deaths to fewer than 1 percent of sufferers.