As the monsoon is active in capital Dhaka, city dwellers must be cautious about stagnant water which is the main source of breeding of Aedes mosquito. According to health experts, Aedes mosquito can grow even in a small quantity of clean water leading to such a deadly dengue disease.
Though dengue usually breaks out during the monsoon between May and September, dengue cases are reported all the year round. Even recent years have witnessed an upward trend in dengue cases.
A recent survey shows that some 18 wards under Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) are at high risk of spreading dengue. When it rains regularly, water accumulates, resulting in breeding of Aedes mosquito. The risky wards under DNCC include 12, 13, 20, 36, 31, 32, 17 and 33 while the vulnerable wards under DSCC are 4, 13, 52, 54, 16, 3, 5, 15, 17 and 23. This year the total number of dengue cases rose to 3,207 while 41 people died of dengue. Last year the country recorded 1,705 dengue-related deaths and a total of 3,21,179 dengue cases.
Bangladesh may witness an
even worse outbreak
of Aedes mosquito-borne
dengue this year
Though the government has taken a yearlong programme to prevent dengue disease, the mosquito-borne disease has spread across the country. Last year dengue patients were found in all the districts of the country since the detection of dengue patient for the first time in 2000.
The government must take preventive steps to stop the outbreak of dengue disease. Public awareness is also a crucial factor in both urban and rural areas to bring the mosquito-borne viral disease under control as the authorities concerned registered a record number of dengue patients last year.
Even if a small quantity of water remains stagnant in any broken pot, tyre, vas or container inside and outside homes and offices, Aedes mosquitoes can breed there. The authorities concerned should engage people of all strata, including owners of houses, business and religious establishments and other infrastructures to destroy breeding grounds of Aedes mosquito.
The health ministry and two city corporations will have to incorporate community people to keep clean inside and outside houses and other infrastructures aiming to destroy breeding grounds of Aedes mosquito and rein in the dengue outbreak. Bangladesh may witness an even worse outbreak of Aedes mosquito-borne dengue this year as the presence of this virus-carrying insect has increased in the early days of summer, health experts warn.
