Bangladesh records 16 dengue cases, 1 death in a day

The number of cases since Jan 1 rises to 1,316, and the death toll stands at 17

Hospitals in Bangladesh have admitted 16 new dengue patients in a day, taking the tally of infections since Jan 1 to 1,316 after the worst outbreak last year.

The death toll from the mosquito-borne disease increased to 17 with one fatality reported in the daily count published by the Directorate General of Health Services on Thursday.

The new cases included four in Dhaka and 12 outside the capital.

Dhaka also accounted for 28 of the 53 dengue patients undergoing treatment at hospitals in the morning.

In 2023, Bangladesh recorded 321,179 hospitalisations and 1,705 deaths from the viral disease and the outbreak has continued this year.

Rising temperatures, along with a lack of effective measures to kill the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the known carrier of the virus, are seen as the reasons behind the deadliest outbreak last year.

Experts say dengue may affect Bangladesh throughout the year from now on, not just in monsoon, if the authorities do not move to prevent the disease.