Ctg sees surge in dengue cases in winter

With each passing day, the number of dengue patients in the port city has been increasing across different government and private hospitals in the current month.

Over the past few years, the period between March and September always saw the highest number of dengue patients. However, the scenario seems to have changed this year.

Just this month, a total of 56 patients were admitted to different hospitals till December 12. Of them, 23 were admitted to Chattogram Medical College Hospital. Alarmingly, 17 of them were admitted last Monday.

Contacted, Brig Gen SM Humayun Kabir, director of the hospital, said they have introduced a dedicated corner for dengue patients due to the rise in their numbers.

"Winter is late this year, and the rainfall prior to the onset of the season has created favourable breeding conditions for aedes mosquito," said Dr Aniruddha Ghosh, head of medicine at CMCH.

There is no alternative to keeping people's surroundings clean to stop this menace, he added.

Echoing Dr Aniruddha, Dr Abdur Rob, senior consultant of medicine at Chattogram General Hospital, said water at construction sites poses considerable risk of breeding aedes mosquito as well.

According to Chattogram Civil Surgeon office data, a total of 557 dengue patients were admitted to different hospitals in Chattogram between July 1 and December 12.

Contacted, Chattogram civil surgeon Dr Elias Chowdhury said he has written to Chattogram City Corporation officials to start a special drive of spraying mosquito repellents across the city.