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Published : 26 Jul 2025, 08:12 AM
Chattogram is battling a sharp rise in mosquito-borne illnesses, with dengue fatalities increasing and chikungunya infections reaching their highest in recent years.
Four people have died from dengue this month, the most recent death reported on Thursday, while chikungunya cases total 669.
Despite the growing crisis, diagnostic testing for chikungunya remains unavailable in public hospitals. Both diseases are spreading fast, placing heavy strain on healthcare services.
Currently, 72 dengue patients and 32 chikungunya sufferers are admitted across government and private hospitals. The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) has also detected three Zika virus infections in the district.
Doctors stress the need for early medical advice for anyone with a fever, to correctly diagnose dengue, chikungunya, Zika or influenza, and to provide timely treatment that reduces health risks.
The first dengue death this monsoon season was recorded on Jul 13, and since then, four people have lost their lives to the disease.
In the last 24 hours alone, 12 new dengue cases have been confirmed in the district.
According to a Friday report from the district civil surgeon’s office, 314 dengue patients have been diagnosed in the first 24 days of the month.
Civil Surgeon Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said 72 dengue patients are currently receiving treatment in government and private hospitals.
So far this year, 759 dengue cases have been identified in the district, including 176 in June.
Of those affected, 351 reside in the city and 408 live in surrounding Upazilas, with 114 from Banshkhali and 108 from Sitakunda.
Among the diagnosed, 417 are men, 220 women, and 122 children.
Six people have died from dengue this year in the district -- five men and one woman.
Two of the deaths occurred earlier in January and May.
Commenting on the rise in dengue deaths, Dr Jahangir said: “Last July, only one person died from dengue in the district. This year, four people have died so far.”
He urged those with fever to seek medical attention immediately to begin timely treatment. Delay often worsens the patient’s condition.
“If dengue is confirmed, patients must drink plenty of fluids and avoid taking any medicine without a doctor’s advice,” he added.
CHIKUNGUNYA CASES CLIMBING
Devi Majumder from Uttar Kattali told bdnews24.com: “About two weeks ago, my son developed a high fever above 103°F. Then my daughter-in-law fell ill. Later, I too came down with a fever.
“We followed our specialist’s advice and were treated at home. The fever is gone now, but I still have severe body pain. It’s very difficult to go up and down the stairs.”
Md Abdur Rob Masum, associate professor of Medicine at Chittagong Medical College Hospital, said: “Patients with chikungunya are visiting hospitals and private chambers daily. Even after the fever subsides, joint and body pain can persist for 15 to 30 days.
“Many struggle to walk or use stairs due to lingering pain,” he added.”Some patients come leaning on others. In some families, several members are infected.”
He urged people to seek medical advice at the onset of fever, even though no chikungunya cases have yet become severe.
Though chikungunya infections have been rising for weeks, government hospitals in Chattogram have yet to start testing for it. Some private hospitals and diagnostic centres do offer tests.
Hamid Hossain Azad, medical services in-charge at Epic Healthcare Centre, said: “Until the day before [Thursday], we tested 356 samples and found 316 positive for chikungunya. The daily number of test-seeking patients is much higher than in previous years.”
The district civil surgeon’s office released chikungunya data for the first time on Friday, confirming 669 infections so far — all recorded in June and July. Of them, 32 are currently hospitalised.
“This is a mosquito-borne disease caused by Aedes mosquitoes,” said the civil surgeon. “Patients suffer from joint and body pain, swelling, and difficulty walking or climbing stairs. Fortunately, none of the current chikungunya patients are in critical condition.”
An IEDCR team recently surveyed six areas across five wards in Chattogram city and found a high density of Aedes mosquitoes, indicating a strong risk of widespread dengue and chikungunya outbreaks.
In addition, the IEDCR confirmed three cases of Zika virus in the city.
