Bangladesh dengue deaths top 100, August could be worse

DHAKA (Reuters) -Bangladesh is experiencing a surge in dengue cases and deaths, with health experts warning that August could bring an even more severe outbreak of the mosquito-borne disease if urgent action is not taken.

Dengue has killed 101 people and infected 24,183 so far this year, official data showed, placing a severe strain on the country’s already overstretched healthcare system.

A sharp rise in fatalities has accompanied the spike in cases. Nineteen people have already died of dengue so far in August, following 41 deaths in July — more than double June's 19 fatalities.

"The situation is critical. The virus is already widespread across the country, and without aggressive intervention, hospitals will be overwhelmed," said Kabirul Bashar, an entomologist at Jahangirnagar University.

"August could see at least three times as many cases as July, with numbers potentially peaking in September."

Health officials are urging people to use mosquito repellents, sleep under nets, and eliminate stagnant water where mosquitoes breed.

"We need coordinated spraying and community clean-up drives, especially in high-risk zones," Bashar said.

Experts say climate change, along with warm, humid weather and intermittent rain, has created ideal breeding conditions for Aedes mosquitoes, the carriers of the dengue virus.

While Dhaka remains a major hotspot, dengue is peaking across the country. Large numbers of infections are being reported from outside the capital, adding pressure to rural healthcare facilities with limited capacity to treat severe cases.

Doctors warn that early medical attention is critical. Severe abdominal pain, vomiting, bleeding, or extreme fatigue should prompt immediate hospital visits to reduce the risk of complications or death.

With the peak dengue season still ahead, health experts have stressed that community participation, alongside government-led mosquito control, will be critical in preventing what could become one of Bangladesh's worst outbreaks in years.

The deadliest year on record was 2023, with 1,705 deaths and more than 321,000 infections reported.

(Reporting by Ruma Paul; Editing by Saad Sayeed)