Heighten dengue control crusade

The Health minister has urged Dhaka city corporations to accelerate their dengue-prevention campaigns as his ministry is not liable to control dengue rather delivers healthcare to people.
The number of cases has increased, but dengue has not gone out of control. Health division is ready to deal with dengue, according to him.
Minister Zahid Maleque said this in reply to queries from reporters as he emerged from an orientation programme for new MBBS students at Dhaka Medical College on Monday.
"It's not our job to control dengue. Our job is to provide medicare to patients," he said, urging that Dhaka city Corporations should carry out more regular mosquito control activities.
Meanwhile, the government on Monday recorded nine more deaths all from Dhaka in the mosquito-borne dengue fever while an increasing number of new infections continued unabated across the country.
With the latest figures, the total fatalities climbed to 185, including Dhaka's 148, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Besides, 2,293 new cases were hospitalised in the last 24 hours ending at 8:00 am on Monday throughout the country. Of them, 1,238 were from Dhaka.
According to the health directorate, the dengue death rate is five-year high this year.
The total dengue cases rose to 35,270. Of the total cases, 21,187 were from Dhaka, added the DGHS.
A total of 7,463 people are now being treated at hospitals across the country. Of them, 4,395 were from Dhaka.
Of the total admitted, 27,622 patients made recovery and returned home, including Dhaka's 16,644.
Last year, 281 people died due to dengue, the highest in the history of the country.
However, the number of deaths may increase as dengue has taken a terrible turn, experts fear.
They apprehend that the situation will worsen in August and September compared to July as the rainy season came late this year.

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