At a time when the country is seized with the deadly coronavirus, the prospect of the onset of dengue looms large on the horizon.
Experts are of the opinion that city-dwellers may witness a worse dengue outbreak in July-August this year if proper activities to curb the menace are not carried out in a short time.
The dengue hazard could not have come at a worst time. When the health system is up to its neck fighting COVID-19, dengue has become an additional burden on our distress.
There is no denying that compared to the havoc now being wreaked by the coronavirus across the world, in terms of fatalities and economic loss, dengue is a minor health problem.
But in Bangladesh, it could be a serious problem, if necessary awareness building programmes are not launched right.
Amid the countrywide lockdown to curb transmission of coronavirus, the danger and irritation posed by mosquitoes has been ignored in both Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation.
When the health system is up to its neck
fighting COVID-19, dengue has become
an additional burden on our distress
If the authorities concerned do not take necessary steps to control Aedes mosquitoes immediately, there might be a surge in the number of dengue patients, which would pose a serious danger in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic
Aedes mosquitoes thrive in areas with stagnant water in puddles, water tanks, containers and old tyres. Lack of reliable sanitation and garbage collection also contributes to the spread of dengue.
So, 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, 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 also prevent the spread of this deadly disease. Authorities should deploy expert teams to visit dengue-prone areas in the city and inform people about how to destroy all potential mosquito-breeding sites.
