Bangladesh may be headed into another deadly dengue season – unprepared

In 2023, Bangladesh endured one of the world’s deadliest dengue outbreaks. It is now showing early signs that it may be headed toward another punishing mosquito season.

Although dengue numbers remain relatively low by peak monsoon standards, Bangladesh has already officially recorded 2,688 infections and five deaths as of May 10, according to the Directorate General of Health Services dengue dashboard.

During the same period last year, the country had reported around 1,773 confirmed cases and three deaths, data showed.

Epidemiologists warn that the conditions that fueled previous large-scale outbreaks are once again falling into place: intermittent heavy rainfall, weak and inconsistent mosquito-control campaigns, overstretched hospitals and a population simultaneously exposed to several disease threats.

The risk is growing as Bangladesh’s healthcare system is already struggling with a deadly measles resurgence. According to the latest Health Services figures, at least 409 people have died from measles-related illness since mid-March.

This includes both laboratory-confirmed cases and deaths among children showing measles-like symptoms.

Public hospitals and pediatric wards are already under severe pressure handling the measles outbreak, raising fears that the country could soon face two concurrent public-health emergencies. The possibility of simultaneous dengue and measles outbreaks is becoming increasingly alarming, fear the healthcare experts.

Bangladesh’s recent history offers a grim warning. In 2023, dengue killed 1,705 people and infected...

Read more