Dhaka : Bangladesh could face a sharp increase in dengue infections over the next two months, health experts warned, as wet weather and inadequate mosquito control spur a wider outbreak.
Bangladesh’s health ministry’s data showed that dengue deaths rose from one at the end of May to 18 by the end of June, while reported infections climbed more than eightfold, from 714 to 5,924.
The spread of the disease has accelerated in recent weeks, raising concerns following the nation’s deadliest ever outbreak in 2023.
The dengue threat comes as the country deals with one of its worst measles outbreaks in decades. Since mid-March, more than 100,000 suspected cases and over 10,000 confirmed infections have been reported, with the death toll exceeding 700, putting added pressure on an already fragile healthcare system.
Health experts warned that heavy rainfall, warm temperatures and high humidity have created ideal conditions for dengue transmission, while mosquito control efforts have not kept pace with the growing threat, Bashar said.
He urged the government to set up a nationwide early warning system to help identify mosquito breeding areas and rising hotspots, so authorities can respond faster and warn communities before outbreaks worsen.
Bangladesh recorded its largest dengue fever outbreak in history in 2023, with more than 321,000 people infected and 1,705 deaths. Last year, there were 102,861 dengue cases and 413 deaths, following 101,214 infections and 575 deaths in 2024.
