Bangladesh is struggling to manage a rising number of dengue cases as climate change makes this illness a year-round challenge. Some pediatric wards are so full that children are sharing beds.
The Aedes mosquito, which spreads dengue and has distinct black and white striped legs, thrives in stagnant water. Cases used to decline after the monsoon rains ended.
“At this time of year, we usually expect fewer patients,” said Fazlul Haque, as he walked through a crowded ward at Dhaka’s Shaheed Sohrawardi Medical College. “But for the last three weeks, dengue cases have been on the rise.”
Dr. Sabina Tabassum Anika, who oversees the children’s dengue ward, stated, “We see dengue patients almost every month. With the number of cases higher than before, we have to place two children in each hospital bed to accommodate them.”
Last month, Bangladesh reported 134 dengue-related deaths, marking the deadliest month this year and bringing the total for 2024 to 326. Although cases are lower than last year when over 1,000 died, doctors say dengue deaths are occurring nearly every month now.
By early November, there were over 65,000 recorded cases. Severe dengue can lead to serious symptoms, including bleeding from the mouth or nose and internal bleeding.
The World Health Organization has issued a warning about the “alarming” spread of the virus, noting that reported cases worldwide have roughly doubled each year since 2021. In the first eight months of 2024, more than 12.3 million cases were recorded, resulting in over 7,900 deaths.
Sheikh Daud Adnan from the Communicable Disease Control (CDC) emphasized the need to eliminate places where mosquitoes breed. “We often wait too long to take action and only respond after an outbreak happens,” he said. “Many people still do not believe that dengue can occur year-round, often thinking of it as a seasonal illness.”
