<p>Dhaka: Bangladesh is battling its worst outbreak of dengue in years, with more than 400 deaths as rising temperatures and a longer monsoon season drive a surge in infections, leaving hospitals struggling to cope, particularly in urban areas.</p><p>At least 407 people have died from related complications in 2024, with 78,595 patients admitted to hospital nationwide, the latest official figures show.</p><p>By mid-November, 4,173 patients were being treated, with 1,835 of them in Dhaka, the capital, and 2,338 elsewhere.</p><p>"We’re witnessing monsoon-like rainfall even in October, which is unusual," said Kabirul Bashar, a zoology professor at Jahangirnagar University.</p><p>Shifting weather patterns caused by climate change provided optimal conditions for the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the primary carrier of the disease, he added.</p><p>"These changes in the season are fostering ideal conditions for the mosquitoes to breed."</p>.Climate change could affect region-wise trends in malaria, study in Kenya suggests. <p>Dense populations in cities exacerbate the spread of the disease, usually more common in the monsoon season from June to September though it has spilled beyond that window this year.</p><p>A rise in temperatures and longer monsoons, both linked to climate change, have caused a spike in mosquito breeding, driving the rapid spread of the virus.</p><p>Bashar called for year-round vector surveillance in Bangladesh to monitor and rein in the disease.</p><p>If detected early and treated properly, deaths from dengue can be reduced to less than 1per cent, said a renowned physician, Dr ABM Abdullah, adding, "Early diagnosis and prevention are key to controlling dengue."</p><p>Last year was the deadliest on record in the current crisis, with 1,705 deaths and more than 321,000 infections reported.</p><p>The growing frequency and severity of outbreaks strains Bangladesh’s already overwhelmed healthcare system, as hospitals battle to treat thousands of patients.</p><p>Health officials have urged precautions against mosquito bites, such as mosquito repellents and bed nets, while experts want tougher measures to eliminate the stagnant waters where mosquitoes breed.</p><p>Delays in seeking treatment, particularly among rural populations who must travel long distances to specialised facilities in Dhaka, are swelling the toll, doctors said.</p><p>The disease can often show only mild initial symptoms that go undiagnosed until patients are critical. </p>
<p>Dhaka: Bangladesh is battling its worst outbreak of dengue in years, with more than 400 deaths as rising temperatures and a longer monsoon season drive a surge in infections, leaving hospitals struggling to cope, particularly in urban areas.</p><p>At least 407 people have died from related complications in 2024, with 78,595 patients admitted to hospital nationwide, the latest official figures show.</p><p>By mid-November, 4,173 patients were being treated, with 1,835 of them in Dhaka, the capital, and 2,338 elsewhere.</p><p>"We’re witnessing monsoon-like rainfall even in October, which is unusual," said Kabirul Bashar, a zoology professor at Jahangirnagar University.</p><p>Shifting weather patterns caused by climate change provided optimal conditions for the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the primary carrier of the disease, he added.</p><p>"These changes in the season are fostering ideal conditions for the mosquitoes to breed."</p>.Climate change could affect region-wise trends in malaria, study in Kenya suggests. <p>Dense populations in cities exacerbate the spread of the disease, usually more common in the monsoon season from June to September though it has spilled beyond that window this year.</p><p>A rise in temperatures and longer monsoons, both linked to climate change, have caused a spike in mosquito breeding, driving the rapid spread of the virus.</p><p>Bashar called for year-round vector surveillance in Bangladesh to monitor and rein in the disease.</p><p>If detected early and treated properly, deaths from dengue can be reduced to less than 1per cent, said a renowned physician, Dr ABM Abdullah, adding, "Early diagnosis and prevention are key to controlling dengue."</p><p>Last year was the deadliest on record in the current crisis, with 1,705 deaths and more than 321,000 infections reported.</p><p>The growing frequency and severity of outbreaks strains Bangladesh’s already overwhelmed healthcare system, as hospitals battle to treat thousands of patients.</p><p>Health officials have urged precautions against mosquito bites, such as mosquito repellents and bed nets, while experts want tougher measures to eliminate the stagnant waters where mosquitoes breed.</p><p>Delays in seeking treatment, particularly among rural populations who must travel long distances to specialised facilities in Dhaka, are swelling the toll, doctors said.</p><p>The disease can often show only mild initial symptoms that go undiagnosed until patients are critical. </p>