Photo : TDM
As the country struggles with an alarming surge in the number of death cases following dengue outbreak this year, it has been found that the high mortality rate from dengue has been prompted by a heart-wrenching second infection.
Compared to the deaths in last five years, the nation witnessed the highest number of dengue fatalities in mere first eight months of this year (from January to August 10) during which the toll reached a frightening figure of 374.
Earlier in 2022, a total of 281 people died from dengue across the country. Earlier in 2019, the death toll was 179, the toll was only 7 in 2020 and 105 in 2021.
Experts say multiple exposures to dengue, delayed admission to hospitals and late diagnosis of the disease are the main reasons for the latest spike in dengue deaths.
The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) has found that the Den-2 and Den-3 serotypes of dengue has been dominating this year while Den-1 was the dominant factor in previous years.
It was also revealed that most of the dengue patients, who died at hospitals, breathed their last within three days of getting admitted to hospitals.
“This year, it has been examined that most of the deceased were infected second or third times by Aedes Mosquitoes,” said prominent physician Dr ABM Abdullah, who is also the Prime Minister’s personal physician.
According to IEDCR head Tahmina Shirin, researchers this year discovered DENV-4 for the first time, indicating that DENV-1, DENV-3, and DENV-4 are now active in Bangladesh.
Also a Professor of Microbiology, Tahmina Shirin said IEDCR will start dengue genome sequencing to find out the found mutation, which is yet to get the reagents.
Health experts are of the opinion that the dengue infections are caused by four closely related viruses named DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, and DEN-4, which are called serotypes as each of these four has different interactions with the antibodies in human blood serum.
The four dengue viruses are similar, they share approximately 65% of their genomes, but even within a single serotype, there is some genetic variation. Despite these variations, infection with each of the dengue serotypes results in the same disease and range of clinical symptoms.
The dengue infection rate is the highest among children and aged over 20 and patient between the ages 40 and 80 have the highest death rate, a recent examination of patient data by the DGHS said.
Dr ABM Abdullah suggested the countrymen to be self-aware of what they do during the COVID-19 to control mosquitoes.
However, the former director of the disease control branch of the heath directorate Professor Sania Tahmina said at a seminar yesterday that it is important for public and private parties to work together to combat dengue, but the current scene doesn't look like we are together.
“Due to the election, the dengue issue has been put on the back burner. here is a risk of the disaster getting worse.’’ Sania Tahmina said.
Pointing out that the current situation is not normal, she said that the World Health Organization had declared a global emergency during Corona, dengue is currently a national emergency.
Head of Entomology Department of National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine (NIPSOM), Prof Golam Sarwar said that pesticides and larvicide have lost their effectiveness.
Mushtaq Hossain, a consultant of the government's IEDCR said that the state of emergency has been declared several times for political reasons in the country. But no health emergency was declared. Thousands of people must die for the emergency, that is not like this.
Dengue fever was first observed in Bangladesh in 2000, when 93 deaths were reported. After 3 years, the deaths gradually decreased to almost zero. However, it struck again in 2018 killing 26 and affecting 10,148 people. The previous highest of affected people prior to 2018 was 6,232 in 2002.
TDM/FMT
