DHAKA, Dec 02, 2024(BSS)-  A total of 494 dengue patients  died and 92351 have been diagnosed with the disease till December 1 across the country this year.

Director General (DG) of the health directorate Prof Dr Abu Zafar today disclosed this at a press briefing at the conference room of the directorate.

Speaking about the causes of death of dengue patients, he said, the patients are often being taken to hospitals at the eleventh hour for these reasons, the physicians have almost become undone in dealing with the patients, and the DG said adding that the people have been giving less importance to dengue disease so that the number of deaths is increasing.   
   
The death toll in dengue disease is the highest in Dhaka during last 20 to 40 years, but the causality in terms of children and elderly people is higher in Chattogram, Dr Abu Zafar added.

Side by side dengue, panic   travels  centring the Zika virus and Chikungunya diseases in the country, the DG health said adding that there is nothing for extra panic over  Zika and Chikunguniya viruses.

The mortality rate in Zika virus is almost zero but we have to remain conscious about the spread of the virus, he alerted.

Line Director of the Infectious Diseases Control Programme Dr Halimur Rashid told the conference that the dengue generally spread in cities but recently it is spreading in the remote areas too.

In 2023, the total death of dengue was 1705 across the country of which 1163 was in Dhaka, the Line Director said adding that a total of 339 dengue patients died in the capital so far.

The death toll was 124 in Chattogram in last year but the number is only 50 this year, he said.

In Khulna, the death was 206 in last year but the figure is 27 this year.
The death toll in Barisal was 125 but this year the number is only 56. In Mymensingh, it was 60 in last year, this year the figure is only 13. In Rajshahi division, the death figure was 16 and this year is seven, in Rangpur the death was 10 in last year and this year it is only two. In Sylhet it was only one in last year and there is no death report so far.