Dhaka, Sep 18 (IANS) Six more people have died of dengue in Bangladesh since Wednesday, raising the total number of deaths from the mosquito-borne disease in the nation to 167 in 2025, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has confirmed.

The new fatalities were reported in Dhaka North City Corporation (2), Dhaka South City Corporation (2), Barishal division (1) and Chattogram division (1), according to the DGHS, the United News of Bangladesh (UNB) reported. As many as 647 patients were admitted to hospitals in Bangladesh in the 24 hours leading up to Thursday morning, increasing the total number of cases in 2025 to 38,527.

According to the DGHS, new cases were reported in Dhaka South City Corporation (128), Dhaka North City Corporation (113), Barishal Division (outside city corporation) (108), Dhaka Division (outside city corporation) (102), Chattogram Division (outside city corporation) (96), Rajshahi Division (outside city corporation) (38), Khulna Division (outside city corporation) (37) and Mymensingh Division (outside city corporation) (25).

Presently, 2042 patients are undergoing treatment in various hospitals of Bangladesh. As per the report, 62.6 per cent of the patients were men while 37.4 per cent were women. As many as 575 people died due to dengue in 2024. During the same period, the DGHS reported 101,214 dengue cases and 100,040 recoveries in Bangladesh.

Earlier on September 16, the DGHS announced new instructions for public hospitals to ensure treatment of dengue patients. According to the guidelines, all hospitals in Bangladesh must establish dedicated wards for dengue treatment and set up a specialised medical team. The DGHS believes that this decision will help improve patient care, lower risks and better the quality of hospital services, local media reported.

DGHS Director (Hospitals and Clinics) Abu Hossain Md Mainul Ahsan issued the directive on Tuesday. The DGHS said hospitals must ensure special arrangements for dengue patients undergoing treatment. The hospitals have been asked to ensure facilities for NS-1 tests, emergency care, and sufficient medicines for patients, the Dhaka Tribune reported.

Patients undergoing treatment for dengue in hospitals should be kept in a designated ward or room and ICU support must be prioritised when required. Furthermore, doctors and nurses have been given special responsibilities.

The directive called for a creation of a board comprising medicine, pediatrics, and other specialist physicians for the treatment of dengue and chikungunya patients. Under the supervision of this board, trained doctors, medical officers and residents will provide care to dengue and chikungunya patients.

According to the directive, the same board and doctors must provide treatment to suspected patients who come to outpatient departments in hospitals. It also ordered hospital directors to send letters to city corporations or municipalities to conduct mosquito eradication and cleanliness drives around hospital premises. In addition, a dengue coordination meeting must be held at hospitals chaired by the director, superintendent and civil surgeon on every Saturday.

–IANS

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