1,000 people die of dengue in severe outbreak in Bangladesh

• Bangladesh faces its worst dengue outbreak in recent weeks, with nearly 1,000 reported deaths.
• Heavy monsoon rains have created ideal breeding conditions for dengue-carrying mosquitoes.
• Hospitals are overwhelmed, and intravenous fluids are in short supply.
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In recent weeks, Bangladesh has experienced its most severe outbreak of dengue, resulting in nearly 1,000 deaths, according to authorities.

This outbreak has been exacerbated by unusually heavy monsoon rains, which have created ideal breeding conditions for the mosquitoes that transmit the dengue virus in stagnant and unclean water.

Efforts to contain the disease have faced significant challenges, leading to critical overcrowding in hospitals.

Dengue can cause severe symptoms, including internal bleeding, and in some cases, it can be fatal.

Common symptoms of dengue include headaches, nausea, and joint and muscle pain.

Dengue is endemic in tropical regions and tends to occur more frequently in urban areas with poor sanitation, which facilitates the proliferation of virus-carrying mosquitoes.

While it used to be a seasonal concern in Bangladesh, the changing climate, characterized by hotter and wetter monsoons due to climate change, has led to more frequent outbreaks since the first recorded instance in 2000.

This current outbreak has caught the country off guard, as it is linked to a more virulent strain of the virus. Doctors have observed that patients with dengue are deteriorating more rapidly compared to previous years.

Over the past two months, the country has witnessed up to 20 dengue-related deaths daily, surpassing the total number of deaths from the disease in the past 22 years.

In response, Bangladesh has initiated public awareness campaigns to prevent the formation of mosquito breeding sites.

However, according to Dr. Mushtaq Hussain, a public health expert, there is a need for more extensive efforts to combat this outbreak.

The World Health Organization has confirmed dengue infections in all 64 districts of Bangladesh.

In the capital city of Dhaka, a large number of dengue patients have inundated hospitals in search of treatment.

However, most of these medical facilities are currently operating beyond their capacity.

Furthermore, hospitals are facing a shortage of intravenous fluids, which are essential for the treatment of dengue patients, as dehydration is a common concern among them.