Dengue claims another life

At least 265 new dengue patients were hospitalised in 24 hours till 8am yesterday, while one person died of the infection.

According to Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), among the new cases, 51 of the patients are from outside Dhaka.

With the new cases, a total of 6,911 were diagnosed during this month,  out of a total of 9,569 infected this year.

Of the total infected, 721 are  from outside Dhaka.

At least 2,286 patients were hospitalised in July, 272 in June, while 43 were infected in May, according to DGHS.

According to DGHS, with the new death, a total of 41 people have  died of dengue in the country this year, and all of them died  between July and August. Twelve people died in July, while 29 have died in August so far.

Though most of the patients who were hospitalised have so far been  released, 1,111 are still undergoing treatment at hospitals in Dhaka, and  144 are receiving treatment outside the capital, DGHS data shows.

Amid the rise in dengue cases, the government on August 23 dedicated six  hospitals for treating dengue patients.  However, only two hospitals had started treatment till Friday.

The hospitals are: Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital, Shaheed  Ahsan Ullah Master General Hospital in Tongi; Railway General Hospital  at Kamalapur, 20-bed Aminbazar Govt Hospital, Lalkuthi Hospital in  Mirpur, and 31-bed Kamrangirchar Hospital.

Besides the dedicated hospitals, authorities have instructed  some other public facilities, including Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical  College and Hospital, Dhaka Medical College and Hospital and Mugda  Medical College and Hospital, to provide dengue treatment.