The recent burden of dengue infection in Bangladesh: A serious public health issue
Nurshad Ali
Abstract
Dengue is a rapidly increasing vector-borne disease with a high burden in South and Southeast Asia. This article presents an overview of the current dengue situation in Bangladesh, highlighting the critical public health challenges caused by this infectious disease. Between January and September 2023, a total of 203406 people were infected, and 989 people died, with a case fatality rate of 0.49%. Of these, 96.1% of infections and 95.2% of deaths occurred between July and September. Both infection and mortality rates showed a significant and positive correlation with population density and air quality index. Other environmental and socioeconomic factors may influence the burden of dengue infection. These include temperature, rainfall, humidity, unplanned urbanization, and water storage and waste management practices. To reduce transmission and mortality rates, it is urgent to prioritize early treatment of dengue cases and take measures to address the risk factors associated with dengue infection in the country.