Rohingya camps dengue hotspots in Cox's Bazar

Out of the 2,134 people that have been infected with dengue since January this year in Cox's Bazar, 1,958 (91.75%) are Rohingyas and only 196 are Bangladeshi nationals. 

So far, four died from dengue in the district and all of them are Rohingyas. 

The country saw a record seven deaths and 1,054 hospitalisations in a single day on Tuesday.

Health experts blamed the population density in Rohingya camps and the accumulation of water by residents due to the water shortage for making dengue management here difficult.

The host community in the district also remained in a vulnerable state thanks to the increase in dengue cases among Rohingyas. They advised more proactive actions for tackling the dengue menace in the Rohingya camps.

Jahangirnagar University Zoology Department Professor Entomologist Kabirul Bashar told The Business Standard that Rohingyas have to store water in open containers, which are a good breeding ground for mosquitoes. If it is not possible to ensure an uninterrupted water supply at Rohingya camps, residents should be made aware to cover up the stored water.

"If dengue patients increase in the Rohingya camps, the risk of dengue infection also increases for the host community."

Dr Nazmul Islam, director of Disease Control at the DGHS, told TBS, dengue management in Rohingya camps is challenging. Due to the language problem, they cannot understand everything. As Rohingya camps are highly populated, the number of dengue patients there is more than in other areas.

According to Cox's Bazar Civil Surgeon office, some 2,007 people have been infected with dengue in Rohingya camps alone since January. Among them, 1,905 are Rohingyas and 102 are locals residing around the camps.  Moreover, 127 dengue patients have been found in eight health centres in the district. Among them, 74 are Bangladeshi and 53 are Rohingyas. 

However, the prevalence of dengue in the district is lower than last year so far, Pankaj Paul, statistician of Cox's Bazar Civil Surgeon office, said.

The official also said five new patients were admitted to health centres in Sadar and Teknaf upazilas of the district on Tuesday. A total of 12 patients are currently admitted to eight health centres in the district. 

Cox's Bazar Civil Surgeon Dr Bipash Khisa said Cox's Bazar has all the preparation it needs to deal with the possible dengue situation. 

"The health centres including sadar hospital are ready. Awareness programmes are also going on. We are working on cleaning stagnant water in Rohingya camps and surrounding areas."

Shamsud Douza Nayan, additional commissioner of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Office, told TBS, "To contain dengue spread, various campaigns are going on in the camps. We are holding awareness meetings, distributing leaflets, and announcing awareness messages in the Burmese language."

Record 7 deaths, 1,054 hospitalisations in a single day

Seven more dengue patients died and 1,054 more were hospitalised across the country in the last 24 hours till Tuesday morning, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

The number of dengue deaths and cases is the highest in a single day this year. This brings the total number of dengue cases this year to 10,455.

The tally of deaths from mosquito-borne fever rose to 83 of whom 36 patients died in the last 11 days of July. Of the new patients, 628 were admitted to hospitals in Dhaka and 424 outside the capital.

A total of 3,303 dengue patients, including 2,306 in Dhaka, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country, shows the DGHS data.