By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews
While there are reports of dengue fever admissions decreasing over last three weeks, the number of cases is still extremely high in Bangladesh.
During the first 25 days of August, more than 45,000 cases have been reported, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). In total for the year, 63,514 dengue fever cases have been reported since the beginning of the year.
The number of reported infections is six times that of last year, and the actual figures are likely to be higher as many cases go unreported.
Officials data for the dengue death toll is now 47; however, suspected dengue fatalities are well above 100.
There were 10,148 cases and 26 deaths in the country last year. The first case of mosquito-borne viral infection was reported in Bangladesh in 2000.
According to the World Health Organization, the incidence of dengue has grown dramatically around the world in recent decades. A vast majority of cases are asymptomatic and hence the actual numbers of dengue cases are underreported and many cases are misclassified. One estimate indicates 390 million dengue infections per year (95% credible interval 284–528 million), of which 96 million (67–136 million) manifest clinically (with any severity of disease). Another study, of the prevalence of dengue, estimates that 3.9 billion people, in 128 countries, are at risk of infection with dengue viruses.
