A sharp rise in dengue cases is putting hospitals in Dhaka under severe pressure.
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rise → put → pressure
Over 747 new patients were admitted across Bangladesh in the 24 hours to 8am on Friday.
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patients → admit → Friday
The surge prompted some hospitals to treat patients on floors and verandas after beds filled up.
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beds → prompt → floors
According to a report by Dhaka Tribune, at Mugda General Hospital in Dhaka, 145 dengue patients were receiving treatment in a ward with a capacity of just 38 beds on Thursday.
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patients → accord → Thursday
Doctors and nurses said the overcrowding was making it harder to monitor patients, administer medicines and provide emergency care.
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it → say → care
The directorate general of health services (DGHS) said no dengue deaths were reported during the latest 24-hour period.
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deaths → say → period
However, 79 dengue deaths have been recorded in the first 18 days of September alone.
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deaths → record → September
Since January 1, 59,147 people have been hospitalised with dengue across Bangladesh, with 176 deaths reported.
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deaths → hospitalise → Bangladesh
A total of 54,838 patients have been discharged after treatment.
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total → discharge → treatment
Patients treated on floors, verandas
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Patients → treat → verandas
At Mugda General Hospital, every designated bed in the dengue ward was occupied.
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bed → designate → ward
Additional patients were being treated on the floor and veranda, while some beds were being shared by more than one patient.
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beds → treat → patient
Afrin Akter, from Narayanganj, was among those being treated on the floor.
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Akter → treat → floor
She was vomiting intermittently and appeared too weak to speak properly as a nurse administered saline.
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nurse → vomit → saline
Her mother said Afrin had suffered from fever and body aches for several days.
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Afrin → say → days
After medicines failed to improve her condition, the family tried to get her admitted to several hospitals but could not find a vacant bed.
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her → fail → bed
They eventually reached Mugda General Hospital, where Afrin was admitted despite the lack of a bed.
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Afrin → reach → bed
Nasima, sub-in-charge of the hospital, said patients were arriving every day from Dhaka and districts outside the capital.
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patients → say → capital
“Due to the bed shortage, patients are being admitted to the floor and veranda out of necessity,” she said.
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she → admit → necessity
She said 145 patients were currently being treated in the ward against its capacity of 38 beds.
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patients → say → beds
Many patients, she added, arrive in critical condition, while early treatment can improve the chances of recovery.
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treatment → add → recovery
Dr Nurul Islam, deputy director of Mugda General Hospital, said the increase in dengue cases had pushed up patient pressure.
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increase → say → pressure
“At present, services are being continued with the existing doctors and nurses, but additional beds and manpower are needed to handle the situation,” he said.
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he → continue → situation
“All the patients who are coming here are being admitted and provided treatment.
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who → come → treatment
Instructions have been given to every ward to provide proper treatment.”
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Instructions → give → treatment
Dengue spreads beyond Dhaka
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Dengue → spread → Dhaka
The latest DGHS figures show that the pressure is not limited to the capital.
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pressure → show → capital
Of the 747 patients admitted nationwide in the latest 24-hour period, 216 were admitted outside Dhaka's city corporations but within Dhaka division.
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216 → admit → division
Another 61 were admitted in Dhaka North City and 40 in Dhaka South.
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61 → admit → South
Chittagong division recorded 180 admissions, while 92 patients were admitted in Mymensingh, 81 in Khulna, 52 in Rangpur and 25 in Barisal.
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patients → record → Barisal
August was the worst month for dengue this year, with 20,536 infections and 43 deaths reported.
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August → report → infections
October could bring further rise
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October → bring → rise
Entomologist professor Kabirul Bashar said forecast models indicate that the dengue situation could worsen further in October.
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situation → say → October
Although Aedes mosquitoes become less visible as winter approaches, he said they should not be neglected.
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they → become → ?
Referring to Bangladesh as a “country of mosquitoes,” Bashar said dengue cases were rising compared with previous years and warned that the situation could become more severe in the coming days.
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situation → refer → days
He called for greater public awareness about Aedes mosquito behaviour and stronger mosquito-control measures.
DGHS director general professor Dr Prabhat Chandra Biswas said patients would be referred to private hospitals if government facilities exceeded their capacity.
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facilities → call → capacity
He said hospitals had been instructed to increase their bed capacity and that treatment facilities were also being strengthened at district and upazila levels in dengue-prone areas.
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facilities → say → areas
Public health expert Dr Mushtak Hossain said treating patients alone would not be enough to control the outbreak.
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treating → say → outbreak
“The long-term effective solution is to destroy the breeding grounds of Aedes mosquitoes,” he said.
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he → destroy → mosquitoes
He called for regular mosquito control, greater public awareness and early detection and treatment at the local level, along with adequate facilities in Dhaka and across districts and upazilas.
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He → call → districts
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