United News of Bangladesh

A total of 294 new dengue cases were reported across the country in 24 hours till Saturday morning, raising the number of confirmed cases to 11,954 since the beginning of this year, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Dengue claims 1 more life; 358 hospitalised in 24hrs The number of deaths remained at 45, with no new fatalities reported during this period. Barishal Division (out of city corporation) again reported the highest number of new infections, with 126 fresh cases. The latest data shows that Chattogram Division (out of city corporation) recorded 27 cases, Dhaka Division (out of city corporation) reported 23, while 31 cases were detected in Dhaka North City Corporation, 48 in Dhaka South City Corporation and 39 in Rajshahi division. Last year, dengue claimed the lives of 575 people. According to the DGHS, there were 11,954 dengue cases and 10,673 recoveries in current year.    

A total of 212 new dengue cases were reported across the country in 24 hours till Wednesday morning, raising the number of confirmed cases to 6,678 since the beginning of this year, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Of the new patients, 197 were admitted to hospitals in Dhaka and the rest outside it. Currently, 761 dengue patients are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country. The number of deaths remained at 30, with no new fatalities reported during this period. Barishal Division (out of city corporation) again reported the highest number of new infections, with 110 fresh cases. Dengue spikes alarmingly in Barguna; 13 dead this year The latest data shows that Chattogram Division (out of city corporation) recorded 16 cases, Dhaka Division (out of city corporation) reported 23, while 33 cases were detected in Dhaka South City Corporation and 17 in Dhaka North City Corporation. Besides, Mymensingh Division (outside city corporations) logged one new case; Khulna Division (outside city corporations) recorded 12 fresh cases. Last year, dengue claimed the lives of 575 people. According to the DGHS, there were 101,214 dengue cases and 100,040 recoveries in the same year.

Amid the surge in dengue across the country, the situation has turned alarming in Barguna district with a sharp spike in both infections and fatalities. Some 67 new dengue patients have been admitted to Barguna Sadar Hospital. Besides, the death toll from dengue in the district this year has risen to 13, with five of those deaths reported from Barguna General Hospital. According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), from January to June 13, a total of 1,631 people have been infected with dengue in Barguna. Among them, 1,438 have recovered. Barguna has the highest infection rate in the Barishal division at 61.80%, which is alarming, it said. The infection rate is the number of infection tests that return a positive result. Sources said Barguna General Hospital is facing a critical shortage of medical staff. Of the 55 sanctioned posts for doctors, only 19 are currently serving. The hospital has just 66 nurses against the requirement of 150. While there are only 55 designated beds for dengue patients, an average of 150–200 patients are being admitted daily. Including patients with other illnesses, the hospital is treating about 500 patients per day, alongside around 400 outpatients. Due to the lack of adequate facilities, many critical patients are being referred to Barishal and Dhaka. Recently, a 65-year-old woman identified as Papri Begum from College Branch Road died while going to Dhaka. Dengue claims one life, 169 hospitalised in 24hrs Besides, school student Omar Al Arabi from Khamarbari was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) at a hospital in Dhaka and a female entrepreneur Azmeri Monalisa Jerin also succumbed to dengue. One of the most heartbreaking stories is that of Naimur Rahman Prince, 26, a recent graduate preparing for the BCS exam, who died from dengue on Friday morning. He had aspired to secure a government job and support his family financially. Shilpi Begum, mother of one and half-year-old dengue patient Abdullah, said, “Both my son and I are hospitalized with dengue. The hospital doesn’t provide any blood tests or medicine—we have to buy everything from outside. My husband is a rickshaw-puller. How will we manage the expenses?” Another patient, Mizan, said “I’ve been admitted for four days but haven’t received even a basic saline drip. Pharmacies are out of stock too. And doctors are rarely available.” Ishrat Jahan, a senior staff nurse of the hospital, said “We are overwhelmed due to the severe manpower shortage. This Eid, we didn’t even get a holiday. We’re doing our best to serve the patients, but delays are inevitable and sometimes we face criticism for that. Although this is a 250-bed hospital, operations are being managed with resources for only 100 beds.” President of Sachetan Nagorik Committee, Monir Hossain Kamal, blamed poor management and public unawareness for the crisis. Dengue: 5 die, 159 new cases reported in 24hrs Dr Md Rezwanur Alam, superintendent of Barguna General Hospital, said “This is the peak season for dengue. The patient count far exceeds our 55-bed capacity. I believe nearly every household has at least one infected member. The situation is becoming a full-scale epidemic. We are facing an emergency beyond our capacity.” When asked about the surge, Civil Surgeon Dr Mohammad Abul Fattah said it is difficult to identify the significant cause of dengue in the district but the IEDCR (Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research) may be able to provide better insights. However, poor sanitation, lack of public awareness and patients’ failure to follow medical advice have contributed to the outbreak, he said. Many patients refuse to use mosquito nets, which is leading to further transmission, he added. Contacted, Deputy Commissioner of Barguna district, Mohammad Shafiul Alam said, “We’ve been seeing a rise in dengue cases for the past two months. Several people have died. In response, we’ve held multiple meetings and the municipality is continuing mosquito control efforts. We’ve also informed higher authorities about the acute shortage of doctors and nurses.”