Country battles dual threat of dengue, chikungunya as fever cases surge
Over 1,500 admitted in 4 days
Bangladesh is grappling with a sharp rise in fever-related illnesses, with dengue and chikungunya emerging as the two dominant threats this season.
Doctors warn that while dengue carries a higher risk of death, chikungunya is causing intense and prolonged suffering, leaving patients struggling with severe joint pain.
As per Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) data, 12 people have died due to dengue over the span of a week till yesterday, with more than 1,500 hospital admission.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
The situation has added a fresh strain to the country's healthcare system as multiple types of viral fever are circulating simultaneously.
This year, many patients with fever have complained of persistent body pain. Even when dengue tests return negative, the pain often continues, leading some to describe the illness as "different" from previous years.
Doctors note that while dengue outbreaks have been recurring for several years, this year has also brought a fresh wave of chikungunya cases. Alongside the twin public health threats, doctors are also reporting cases of influenza, viral fever and sporadic Covid-19 infections.
With at least four or five types of fever spreading at the same time, the pattern of illnesses appears noticeably different from previous seasons.
Prof Khan Abul Kalam Azad, medicine specialist and former principal of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, told The Business Standard, "Alongside dengue, we are now seeing increasing numbers of chikungunya patients over the past few months. Chikungunya causes intense joint pain – patients struggle to stand, especially with ankle pain."
"Antibiotics must not be used for all viral fevers. Only paracetamol-type medication, rest, and sufficient fluids are needed," the doctor further said.
For dengue, he cautioned, red-flag symptoms – such as abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, breathing difficulties, gum or nose bleeding, and reduced urination – require urgent hospitalisation.
"Seventy per cent of chikungunya patients recover from joint pain within two weeks, but in some cases it can persist for two months or longer. Painkillers may be prescribed if kidney function is normal, but steroids must not be used for chikungunya pain in the early stage," he added.
Hospitals under pressure
The surge is straining already overburdened hospitals.
On Wednesday, Dhaka Medical College Hospital's female medicine ward, designed for 22 patients, admitted 76, most of them with fever. "The dengue ward is also full, and we are seeing more chikungunya cases than before," said Associate Professor Dr Shahnoor Sarmin.
At Mohakhali's DNCC Dedicated Covid-19 Hospital, dengue admissions are climbing again. "Over the past two weeks, dengue cases have surged again. We are treating more than 50 dengue patients a day, with 20–30 requiring admission. Our ICU has 42 patients – half of them with dengue," said Colonel Dr Tanvir Ahmed, the hospital's director.
"As patient numbers grow, we have requested additional doctors and nurses from the health ministry, and reinforcements are expected soon," he added.
Rising case numbers
According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), three more dengue deaths were reported in the 24 hours until yesterday, while 363 new patients were admitted to hospital with viral fever.
Two dengue deaths were reported in the 24 hours to 3 September, while 445 new patients were admitted. On 2 September, the figures were three deaths and 473 new admissions.
Official data show the country recorded its highest single-day dengue tally of the year on 1 September, with 552 new patients.
Until yesterday, total dengue cases had risen to 33,309 this year, with 130 dengue-related deaths reported.
Chikungunya is also resurging after an absence since 2017, when over 13,800 patients sought treatment in Dhaka in just four and a half months.
Between January and July 2025, four Dhaka-based labs confirmed 785 chikungunya cases from 2,594 samples, with detection rates as high as 30.26%.
Data from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University shows that 1,670 samples were tested, confirming 319 chikungunya cases.
The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) found 253 cases in 518 samples, the National Institute of Laboratory Medicine and Referral Centre (NILMRC) identified 33 cases out of 235, while icddr,b detected 140 cases from 171 tests.
A study on the 2017 outbreak found that 95% of patients in Dhaka were bedridden, 83% reported a poor quality of life, and nearly 30% lost more than 10 working days due to debilitating joint pain.
"Most of the current fever cases we see are chikungunya patients, especially in private chambers and hospitals," said Prof Mujibur Rahman, head of medicine at Popular Medical College Hospital. "However, critical cases are more common among hospitalised dengue patients. We are also encountering sporadic cases of Covid-19, typhoid, and influenza."
He noted that because chikungunya testing is not widely available and remains costly, treatment is largely symptomatic. Elderly patients face higher risks, though deaths are rare.
Preventing Aedes mosquito bites remains the most effective safeguard, he added.
