Bangladesh is yet to control the second Covid wave and the rising dengue cases are posing another challenge to its already strained health infrastructure which is operating almost on the edge. In June, the country recorded a sharp increase in dengue cases and the number could go up in the coming weeks. 

A total of 565 cases have been recorded of dengue this year; Of which, 225, almost half, are reported in June. In May, there were only 43 cases, show the data released by the Directorate General of Health Services  (DGHS). Furthermore, between Tuesday to Wednesday, 24 people were admitted to hospitals. 

Health experts warn if measures to control Aedes mosquitoes--responsible for dengue cases-- aren’t taken, the situation may worsen in the coming weeks. 

“There is a clear indication of rising dengue patients and this might contribute to an explosive situation as the Covid-19 pandemic has also taken a dangerous turn," Kabirul Bashar, an entomologist, was quoted as saying by The Daily Star newspaper. 

In 2019, it recorded over 100,000 cases with 179 reported deaths; the highest cases, over 16000, were reported in July that year. However, the following year cases came down significantly. 

Bashar further said there has been a trend of dengue increasing every alternate year. He said the cases will go up until August if measures aren’t taken in time. 

“Treatment of all other non-communicable diseases has already been hampered due to Covid-19 and it will be a huge challenge for the same number of doctors if the number of dengue patients rises further," Abdul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam, the director-general of the DGHS, said. 

All the separate wards, earlier been in use for dengue patients in hospitals, are now used for coronavirus patients. 

Already, hospitals across the country are facing a shortage of crucial medical supplies as the hospitalization rate among Covid-19 patients has gone up recently, mostly due to the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant. 

(SAM)