*10 more dengue patients die, 2134 new patients hospitalised

*Male are high among patients, female are high among deaths

The country is facing worst ever dengue situation this year as already around one lakh dengue patients have been reported in the country in only seven months and 20 days.

The severity of dengue is continuing unabated across the country as ten more people died of the mosquito-borne disease and 2,134 were hospitalised in 24 hours until 8:00am on Sunday.

According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), with the fresh tallies, the total number of deaths and cases stood at 476 and 99,994 respectively this year so far.

Of the new deaths, six were reported in the capital while of the fresh cases, 1349 were logged outside the Dhaka city. 

Some 7,582 dengue patients are now undergoing treatment in different hospitals across the country. Of them, 4,050 are receiving treatment outside Dhaka.

Of the total cases, around 48.45 percent (48,456) have been reported in Dhaka city while of the total deaths, 75 percent (357) have been logged in the capital.

DGHS sources said the dengue fatality rate is 0.5 percent while the recovery rate has reached 92 percent as of Sunday. The fatality rate is 0.7 percent in the capital and 0.2 percent outside.

Of the total dengue cases, 62,354 (62.4 percent) were males and 37,640 (37.6 percent) females while of the deaths, 204 (43 percent) were males and 272 (57 percent) females. 

The DGHS data said 22 dengue deaths and 3521 infection cases were reported in August 2022 and 34 deaths, 7968 infection cases were reported in August in 2021 and 90 dengue deaths and 52,636 infection cases were reported in August 2019.

Addressing a virtual press briefing on Sunday, Prof. Dr. Md. Shahadat Hossain, Director (MIS) of the DGHS said though the dengue infection cases are in down trend but it can’t be confirmed now when this outbreak will end.

Mentioning that at the 33rd epidemiological week of the dengue infection in the country, it is seen that the dengue infection rate is in down trend both in Dhaka city and outside, he said the number of patients has started decreasing in hospitals in the capital.

Mentioning that there are more than 2600 dedicated bed for dengue patients in public hospitals in the country, the DGHS official said more than 600 beds are now remained vacant.

“Males are more affected by dengue than female. The infection rate of male in dengue is 62.4 percent while the infection rate of female is 37.6 percent. But the alarming thing is that although male are ahead of the victims, female are dying more than male in dengue,” he said.

In the DGHS statistics, he said it has been seen that in the last one week, 33 males have died against 46 females. “That means we have to take care of dengue affected women,” he added.

Mentioning that dengue situation depends on weather and temperature, Dr Shahadat said after observing few more days it can be said whether the dengue infection trend goes to peak of the outbreak.