Dhaka, Nov 4 (IANS) Four more people died due to dengue in Bangladesh in 24 hours till Tuesday morning, increasing the death toll from the mosquito-borne disease in the country in 2025 to 292, local media reported.

During the same period, 1101 more people were admitted to hospital with viral fever, increasing the total number of infected cases in 2025 to 73,923, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the United News of Bangladesh (UNB) reported.

According to the DGHS, new cases were reported in Dhaka North City Corporation (241), Dhaka Division (208), Dhaka South City Corporation (175), Barishal (151), Chattogram Division (125), Mymensingh Division (75), Khulna Division (59), Rajshahi Division (45), Rangpur Division (19) and Sylhet Division (3).

As many as 575 people died due to dengue in 2024. Dengue claimed the lives of 1,705 people in 2023, making it the deadliest year on record.

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. DGHS Director (Hospitals and Clinics) Abu Hossain Md Mainul Ahsan issued the directive.

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, leading Bangladeshi daily 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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