Breaking all previous records, the official dengue death toll this year has hit 98, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). The mosquito-borne disease was first detected in the country back in 2000. At least 93 people had died of dengue that year. “The DGHS has so far analysed 158 out of 246 cases of death this year. It has confirmed 98 deaths to have been caused by the disease,” said Dr Ayesha Akhter, in-charge of the disease control room at DGHS. In 2015, the number of death from dengue was six. But it doubled to 14 in 2016. However, the number was down to eight in 2017. In 2018, the number increased to at least 26, according to the DGHS data. Meanwhile, the number of dengue patients admitted to different hospitals across the country has showed an upward trend.

A total of 301 dengue patients got admitted to various hospitals across the country in the last 24 hours, while the number of admission on Monday was 300. On Sunday, the number was 287.

Among fresh admission, 92 were admitted to various hospitals in the capital, while 209 people were admitted to hospitals outside the capital.

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) control room in a press release yesterday said at least 1,194 patients were undergoing treatment in government and private

hospitals across the country. In total, 457 patients are currently receiving treatment in 41 government and private hospitals in the capital, with the remaining 737 patients undergoing treatment outside Dhaka.

As of yesterday, the number of recorded dengue patients this year hit 92,467. Of the total, at least 52,636 were hospitalised in August alone. A total of 91,027 patients have already been released from the hospitals following their recovery.

About 98.4 per cent of the dengue patients, admitted to different hospitals across the country, have been released from hospitals after treatment, according to health officials.