Deadliest year yet for dengue fever in Bangladesh as cases explode in the capital of Dhaka
- By mid-October, almost 7,450 cases had been reported with 17 deaths, making it the deadliest year since the first recorded epidemic in 2000
But this year the disease has seen more than a tripling of numbers of recorded cases in the city – alongside a lengthening of its season. And the explosion is being reported in other countries too. Dengue, a mosquito-borne viral disease, has been spreading rapidly in the past few years.
By mid-October, almost 7,450 cases of dengue had been reported in Bangladesh and 17 deaths, making it the deadliest year since the first recorded epidemic in 2000.
Last year, 68 dengue cases were recorded in Dhaka in the first four months, compared with 254 this year.
Researchers believe the true numbers are much higher. There are four strains of dengue, including the most life-threatening, haemorrhagic dengue. But only patients with severe cases end up in hospitals, from where the government collects data.
