SM NAJMUS SAKIB
The dengue infections are seen spreading at a faster pace in Barishal and Chattogram divisions in comparison to Dhaka city this year, according to official data.
The Barisal City Corporation is now on the top in terms of dengue infections and hospitalisation in the register of the Director General of Health Service (DGHS).
Of the total 4,680 cases since this January, Barisal division alone reported 1,243 cases, followed by Chattogram 965. The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) reported 660 cases, while the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) reported 350 infections.
Of the new 60 cases on Saturday, Barisal reported the highest 21 cases. This year, a total of seven people died of dengue infections, according to the DGHS data.
Experts talking to the FE said Dhaka city started showing resistance to all four dengue serotypes due to the large number of people infected over the years, particularly the massive infection in 2023. Still, there are warnings and cases of infection among the young people and children in the city now, they added.
Besides, dengue patients and dengue mosquitoes need to be controlled in the two divisions (Barisal and Chattogram), otherwise infection would spread to all the nearby regions.
Prof Kabirul Bashar, a medical entomologist and teacher at Jahangirnagar University, told the FE that when a certain area sees a circulation of dengue infections, it is mandatory to stop infection and people being dengue patients in order to halt spreading the infection to other regions.
The dengue situation is now increasing in Barisal division, including Barisal, Barguna, Pirojpur, Patuakhali, and Chattogram division, Chattogram city to Chandpur, and Narsingdi to Gazipur, he added.
Besides, there were spells of rain in the past few days. Rain means fresh waterlogging and a positive environment for mosquitoes. Last week's rains will help the dengue mosquitoes to be grown by the first week of August, as it takes about six weeks for them to utilise the rainwater, he explained.
It is the responsibility of both the sides - the government and the community - to be engaged, he emphasised.
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