Respite from dengue not before winter: DGHS

The worsening dengue situation would not give any respite until the temperature falls as dengue manifestation is linked with local and global temperatures.
"This is autumn but still we don't see any sign of temperature fall while monsoon rains are pouring across the country. This situation may not be improved until the weather turns cool as the weather is linked to the dengue manifestation and breeding," Prof Dr. Ahmedul Kabir, a director general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), said.
He made the comments at the monsoon Aedes survey disclosure event on Wednesday.

The DGHS conducted the 10-day survey from August 25 to September 3 to determine the prevalence of aedes species and to find out the frequency of potential and probable breeding sources and their productivity in different types of houses.
Total 3,150 households were visited in 99 wards of the DNCC and DSCC area during the survey.
A total of 657 houses were found positive (aedes larva Containing house) and 845 containers were positive (aedes larva containing container) and a total of 3,396 wet containers were found during the 10 days survey of Dhaka City.
Dhaka City average Breteau Index (BI) =26.83, higher than normal.
Meanwhile, in reply to reporters he said that an increasing number of women, certainly pregnant mothers, are being affected by the deadly dengue fever this year.
"They are among the most vulnerable groups to dengue despite being admitted to hospitals. Women tend to come to the hospital late or in the last stage often. Meanwhile, pregnant mothers are usually physically vulnerable for which fatalities among them are higher," he explained.
Entomologist Prof Kabirul Bashar said that the government must combine effort and cooperation among the agencies of the local government ministry. Otherwise it would be difficult to control the dengue.
He also asked the authorities concerned to determine first which insecticides will be used in the anti dengue campaign as it is important to control dengue.
Tahmina Shirin, Director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control & Research (IEDCR), said in a query that there are some cases that people having dengue symptoms admitted to hospitals but tested negative in NS1 dengue test.
After 4-5 days of escalating fever, NS1 testing often couldn't diagnose dengue. Therefore, we need to go for other tests like blood CBC test or PCR tests and only the doctor can know which test is required in which stage of infection, she explained.
There are huge patients coming from outside Dhaka, directors of different government hospitals in Dhaka shared at the event.
DGHS Kabir claimed that the media and people misunderstood them in their call of not sending patients to Dhaka.
"We urged not to send patients to Dhaka until there is any emergency otherwise patients' condition could deteriorate during traveling," he demanded.
Meanwhile, 16 more people died of dengue on Wednesday and 2564 people admitted to hospitals across the country. The total casualties stood now at 1046 and cases to 214,247.
nsrafsanju@gmail.com