Dengue Menace: Rain raises spectre of fresh bout
Experts call for immediate drives to check spread of Aedes mosquitoes
The rain will create more breeding places for the Aedes mosquitoes that will eventually spread the deadly dengue virus, experts warn, urging the authorities to act now.
It has rained five times in Dhaka and several times at different districts this month, according to the Met office.
"This early rain will definitely lead to a spread of dengue cases. Measures to control the Aedes population must be taken immediately," says Kabirul Bashar, entomologist of Jahangirnagar University.
Local government bodies and deputy commissioners of all districts should be asked to identify and destroy the possible breeding spots, he adds.
Entomologist Manjur A Chowdhury says the authorities must identify the Aedes clusters -- localities with active transmission -- by collecting the addresses of infected patients.
In the first 19 days of March, 172 dengue cases were recorded, up from 111 last year, according to the Directorate General of Health Services.
The total number of dengue cases this year is 1,566, and 20 people with confirmed infections have died.
"This is the right time to take effective measures to stop the numbers from climbing," Manjur says.
Infected patients should use mosquito nets to keep the virus from spreading further, he says, adding that identifying and neutralising the clusters will become difficult in the rainy season.
Anti-mosquito drives using larvicide and adulticide along with awareness campaigns are necessary now.
"Unfortunately, there is no sign of such efforts yet. There is also no surveillance to recognise the serotypes of dengue and chikungunya [diseases carried by the Aedes mosquito]."
Health Minister Samanta Lal Sen yesterday said he asked hospitals across the country to be prepared to provide timely treatment to dengue patients.
"We have to buy quality insecticide to kill mosquitoes. We also need good treatment," he said in an intra-ministerial meeting.
He added that community involvement and awareness could help prevent an outbreak, he added.