Bangladesh dengue death toll tops 400 as outbreak worsens

• Dense populations in cities worsen the situation.
• Changing weather conditions provide optimal conditions.
• Delays in seeking treatment are swelling, doctors say.

DHAKA: Bangladesh is grappling with its worst dengue outbreak in years, with more than 400 deaths as rising temperatures and a longer monsoon season cause infections to rise, leaving hospitals struggling to cope, particularly in urban areas.

At least 407 people died from related complications in 2024, with 78,595 patients admitted to hospitals across the country, according to the latest official figures.

By mid-November, 4,173 patients were being treated, with 1,835 of them in Dhaka, the capital, and 2,338 elsewhere.

“We are witnessing monsoon-like rainfall even in October, which is unusual,” said Kabirul Bashar, professor of zoology at Jahangirnagar University.

Changing weather conditions caused by climate change have provided optimal conditions for the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the main vector of the disease, he added.

“These changes in season favor ideal conditions for mosquito breeding.”

Dense populations in cities exacerbate the spread of the disease, usually more common in the monsoon season from June to September, although it has spilled over beyond that window this year.

Rising temperatures and longer monsoons, both linked to climate change, have led to an increase in mosquito breeding, driving the rapid spread of the virus.

Bashar called for year-round vector surveillance in Bangladesh to monitor and contain the disease.

If detected early and treated properly, dengue deaths can be reduced to less than 1%, said a renowned physician, Dr ABM Abdullah, adding, “Early diagnosis and prevention is the key to controlling dengue. ».

Last year was the deadliest on record for the current crisis, with 1,705 deaths and more than 321,000 infections.

The increasing frequency and severity of outbreaks is straining Bangladesh’s already overstretched healthcare system as hospitals struggle to treat thousands of patients.

Health officials have called for precautions against mosquito bites, such as mosquito repellents and nets, while experts want tougher measures to eliminate standing water where mosquitoes breed.

Delays in seeking treatment, particularly among rural populations who have to travel long distances to specialist facilities in Dhaka, are swelling the toll, doctors said.

The disease can often have only mild initial symptoms that go undiagnosed until patients are critical.