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DSCC to start dengue testing from today


Published : 14 Jul 2019 08:11 PM | Updated : 06 Sep 2020 05:26 PM

In the wake of an aggravating situation over dengue infection, the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) decided to introduce diagnostic testing facilities to confirm dengue infection. The 15-day testing facilities that begin today (Monday) would be available in all the 57 wards of DSCC, a press release said on Sunday. It also mentioned that a total of 68 mobile medical teams would be working to identify potential suspected dengue-infected patients and refer them to 476 health centres where primary treatment would be available.

Meanwhile, about 138 people, infected with dengue virus, are being admitted on average to different city hospitals per day whereas 152 new patients were admitted alone on Saturday. According to the report of Emergency Operation Center and Control Room of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), about 1,795 people with dengue infection were admitted to different public and private hospitals over the past 13 days.

According to the government report, this year, nearly 4,000 dengue-infected patients were already admitted to different hospitals, of them, 3,494 were admitted between June and July 13. Meanwhile, at least 11 people died from dengue fever between April and July while at least three people died last year, according to DGHS sources. However, the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) confirmed three deaths between April and July due to dengue.

Doctors said that the dengue situation is aggravating at an alarming rate. DSCC Mayor Mohammad Sayeed Khokon will formally inaugurate the free dengue healthcare services campaign from Monday from his office. Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqul Islam has also convened an emergency meeting on the day (Monday) to review the latest dengue infection situation.

Earlier, Mayor Sayeed Khokon said that the medicines they are using to kill the mosquitoes are "slightly less effective" while assuring that the situation "is under control". Meanwhile, in two different studies by International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDRB) and Center for Disease Control (CDC) of DGHS has recently revealed that the insecticides and larvicides used to kill mosquitoes are not effective.

In the meantime, the High Court (HC) on Sunday directed the two city corporations in Dhaka to take initiatives within 24 hours to destroy all Aedes mosquito to prevent dengue and chikungunya infections. An HC bench of Justice Tariq Ul Hakim and Justice Mohammad Suhrawardy came up with the suo moto order taking into account the reports published in different national dailies.