Ministers divided over dengue intensity

At least two ministers were divided over the intensity of the country’s dengue menace as the mosquito-borne viral fever claimed eight more lives and forced 2,348 new patients to be hospitalised in the country on Tuesday, a new record of hospitalisation due to dengue in a single day.

As the dengue scourge continued unabated across the country, road transport minister Obaidul Quader and health minister Zahid Maleque made contradictory remarks over the intensity of the situation.

The country’s health boss on Monday claimed that the dengue situation improved.

‘The dengue situation has improved compared to the recent days. Based on statistics we can tell you that the number of dengue patients is decreasing gradually,’ he said while attending a dengue awareness event in Manikganj on Monday.

The health minister, earlier on Saturday, said at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University that the dengue situation was ‘moderately under control now’.

But, ruling Awami League general secretary and road transport minister Obaidul Quader said on Tuesday that the number of dengue cases was increasing and it was a reality.

‘Although we are saying that the dengue situation is under control, the fact is that it is yet to come under control. This is a reality,’ he said at a meeting at the Awami League central office.

Obaidul said that the aedes mosquitoes, the vector of dengue, would spare neither any minister nor any Member of Parliament, mayor, councillor or any other leader.

Dhaka South City Corporation officials in their office test two mosquito repellents, imported from India, on Tuesday afternoon. — New Age photo

The government’s health emergency and operation centre control room also showed that the dengue cases were increasing every day.

That the dengue situation has been worsening every day is evident from the fact that at least 11,451 people were hospitalised with the infection in the past six days of August.

The control room’s Tuesday’s data revealed that at least 2,348 new dengue patients were hospitalised in the 24 hours ending at 8:00am on Tuesday, or 1.63 cases a minute, which was a new record high number for hospitalisation in a single day since 2000, the year dengue first appeared in Bangladesh.

Besides, eight more people including five in the capital and one each in Rangpur and Dinajpur died of dengue on Tuesday.

With these deaths, so far 77 people died of the disease, according to unofficial reports, but the government data say the death figure stands at 23.

Of the eight new deaths, three people succumbed to dengue at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where so far 17 dengue victims died this year alone, officials confirmed. But the deaths are not counted into the government report.

Besides, the same day, one dengue patient died at Mugda Medical College Hospital, one at private Anwer Khan Modern Hospital, one in another private hospital in Dhaka, one in Rangpur and one in Dinajpur.

The health emergency and operation centre and control room said in its report on Tuesday that 23 people died of dengue so far this year, with 19 at private hospitals, three at autonomous Dhaka Shishu Hospital and one at Kurmitola General Hospital.

On Tuesday, at least 7,968 dengue patients were under treatment at different hospitals around the country, including 5,182 at 40 officially monitored hospitals in Dhaka and 2,786 at government’s district-level hospitals.

In total, so far 29,912 dengue patients were hospitalised this year, showed the control room data.

Dhaka Medical College Hospital assistant director Nasir Uddin confirmed to New Age that three people died of dengue at the hospital on Tuesday.

Habibur Rahman, 21, of Bhanga, Faridpur, who lived in Karwan Bazar, was admitted to DMCH on August 31 with dengue and died at the hospital’s intensive care unit at about 2:30pm on Tuesday, he said.

Besides, Monwara Begum, 75, of Hajiganj, Chandpur, who lived in Mirpur, died of the fever at about 5:00am on the day, he said. Monwara was admitted with dengue to the hospital on Sunday.

Amjad Mondol, another dengue patient from Shibchar of Manikganj, who was admitted to DMCH at about 3:00am on Tuesday, died three hours later at the hospital, said Nasir.

At Anwer Khan Modern Hospital in the capital, Italy-expatriate Lippi Begum, 34, wife of Sarder Abdul Sattar Tarun, died of dengue at about 12:30am on Tuesday, hospital director Jasim Uddin Khan confirmed to New Age.

At Mugda Medical College Hospital, a patient named Hanif, 42, who was admitted with dengue there four days ago, died at about 2:00am on Tuesday, confirmed hospital director Amin Uddin Khan.

Minor girl Madina Akter, 7, daughter of Mizanur Rahman Dhali of Matlab North upazila, died of dengue at Dhanmondi General and Kidney Hospital in the capital around midnight Monday, reports United News of Bangladesh.

Madina was diagnosed with dengue and admitted to the hospital on August 3, and shifted to the ICU of the hospital where she breathed her last.

In Rangpur, minor girl Rihana, 4, died of dengue at Rangpur Medical College Hospital on Tuesday morning, reports New Age Rangpur correspondent.

The deceased was the daughter of Ashraful Islam, resident of Nekirhat village under Palashbari upazila of Gaibandha district.

RMCH associate professor of medicine Ashaduzaman confirmed the news to New Age. He said that three more dengue patients were in critical condition at the hospital.

In Dinajpur, a teenage boy lost his battle with dengue at M Abdur Rahim Medical College Hospital in the early hours of Tuesday, reports UNB.

Rabiul Islam, 17, son of Noyan Islam from Ranishankail upazila of Thakurgaon district, died at around 5:30am, director of the hospital Khairul Kabir said. The teenager was taken to the hospital on July 30.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net