Staff Correspondent
Four children and young patients died of dengue in Dhaka hospitals within 24 hours, bringing this year’s total death toll from the mosquito-borne disease to 114, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The DGHS bulletin on Saturday reported that all four deaths occurred in hospitals under Dhaka South City Corporation. The deceased include two girls, aged 4 and 7, at Sir Salimullah Medical College, a 26-year-old woman at Mugda Medical College, and a 15-year-old boy at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
So far in 2024, the highest number of dengue deaths occurred in July (41), followed by 31 deaths up to August 23. Other fatalities include 19 in June, 10 in January, 7 in April, 3 in February, and 3 in May. No deaths were reported in March.
In the past 24 hours, 247 new dengue patients were admitted to hospitals across the country, raising the total number of hospitalizations this year to 28,202. July alone saw the highest admissions with 10,684 patients, followed by 5,951 in June and 7,222 in the first 23 days of August.
Currently, 1,307 dengue patients are receiving treatment at hospitals nationwide—440 in Dhaka and 867 in hospitals outside the capital.
According to DGHS records, data on dengue hospitalizations and deaths has been maintained since 2000. The deadliest year so far was 2023, when 321,179 people were hospitalized and a record 1,705 deaths were reported.