It is alarming to note that at least 18 more dengue patients were hospitalised in Dhaka in the 24 hours till Monday morning, taking the total number of official hospitalisation to 338 since January. However, yet no death has been reported from the mosquito-borne viral disease this year.
It is worth mentioning that In 2021, at least 28,429 dengue patients and 105 deaths were recorded officially, the second-highest yearly dengue hospitalisation and dengue deaths since 2000 when Bangladesh started keeping records. Experts fear that Dhaka dwellers may witness another dengue outbreak this year too.
If city authorities do not devise necessary measures immediately to control Aedes mosquitoes, there might be a surge in the number of dengue patients. The two city corporations should deploy expert teams to visit dengue-prone areas in the city and inform people about how to destroy all potential mosquito-breeding sites.
If city authorities do not devise necessary measures
immediately to control Aedes mosquitoes, there might
be a surge in the number of dengue patients
Also, in order to control Aedes mosquitoes, devising an integrated initiative, especially involving locals has become the need of the hour.
Dengue mosquitoes thrive in areas with stagnant water in puddles, water tanks, containers and old tyres. Hence, at the household level, people need to be aware of these issues, and keep their houses clean. The best way to prevent the disease from spreading in settlements is to remove waterlogged areas, keep the settlements always clean and properly dump bio-degradable garbage away from human settlements and use insecticide-treated mosquito nets. These are not difficult tasks. Proper hygiene and sanitation can help prevent the transmission of dengue virus.
There is no specific treatment for dengue or severe dengue. According to World Health Organization, early detection of disease progression associated with severe dengue and access to proper medical care lowers fatality rates of severe dengue to below 1 per cent. A new variety of type-3 dengue was found for the first time in Bangladesh in 2020.
Considering the changing characteristic of the disease, departments concerned including health experts should look forward to conducting further research and forming a high-profile committee of experts to formulate a guideline to tackle dengue. Also, proper directives should be provided to the hospitals in case of encountering any dengue cases as in both dengue and coronavirus cases the symptom of fever is common.