Six die, 1,410 in hospitals in a day

Six more people died and 1,410 patients were admitted to different hospitals across the country in 24 hours until Sunday morning due to dengue. A total of 106 people have died of the mosquito-borne disease so far this year, according to the DGHS.
The health service division is not considering declaring a public health emergency at this moment as the situation is under control. Although the dengue outbreak continues in the country, DGHS said the dengue season may be long-lasting as the monsoon started late this year.
Officials of the health service division and the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) came up with the assertion at a media briefing on Sunday in response to the public health specialists' call to declare a public health emergency.
Director General of DGHS Prof Dr ABM Khurshid Alam said, "I think we have not gone to the stage of declaring a 'public health emergency'. However, we will discuss the matter with the higher-level authorities considering the experts' concerns."
However, public health specialist and also the advisor of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) Dr Mushtaq Hussain at a seminar on Sunday said a 'public health emergency' situation is prevailing in the country. He also said people were affected by all four types of dengue.
The DGHS officials, however, said the treatment of dengue fever caused by all variants is the same according to the treatment guideline.
Dr Khurshid Alam at the briefing said the Mugda Medical College Hospital has the highest number of dengue patients in Dhaka. Some 600 people are given treatment against a total bed capacity of 500 in the hospital. There are available beds and arrangements for dengue patients in other hospitals.
"Dengue cases have been increasing at an alarming rate in the country. However, we are providing medical care. We do not have any crisis in providing treatment to dengue patients," he added.
Secretary of the Health Services Division Md Anwar Hossain Howlader said that the dengue situation is not a public health emergency in Bangladesh yet.
"However, we will further analyse the situation," he said.
The DGHS provided training to some 30 private hospitals in the city. They will start providing dengue treatment in the next seven days.

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