Dengue deaths: 81% of patients died within 3 days of hospitalisation

Around 81% of all dengue patients who died this year have died within two to three days of hospitalisation, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said patients who died a few days after hospitalisation came to the hospital late and there was not much for the doctors to do at that stage.

Professor Dr Ahmedul Kabir, additional director general of DGHS, has advised dengue patients to visit physicians at the early stage of fever.

According to DGHS data, the country recorded 16 more deaths from dengue in 24 hours till Sunday morning, raising the fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease to 634 this year. In addition, some 2,608 were hospitalised, taking the number of hospitalisations from dengue to 1,30,302 this year.

Alongside the DGHS, WHO is observing Bangladesh's intensifying dengue situation. 

In an observation report sent to the DGHS recently, WHO said 593 people died of dengue from 1 January to 31 August this year. Of them, 327 or 55% of dengue patients died within a day of hospitalisation and 152 or 26% of patients died within two to three days of hospitalisation. 

Aedes mosquitoes spreading fast in villages

Moreover, around 7% of patients died after four to five days of hospital stay. The mortality rate was lowest among those hospitalised for 10 days or more, at 3%.

This year, dengue shock syndrome has been a leading cause of fatalities. Around 64% of deaths occurred due to shock syndrome, 24% of deaths due to expanded dengue syndrome, 8% of deaths due to dengue haemorrhagic fever and 4% of dead patients had other chronic diseases.

Prime Minister's Personal Physician and Emeritus Professor Dr ABM Abdullah told The Business Standard that dengue shock syndrome means that the blood pressure of a person affected by dengue drops very quickly, the hands and feet become cold, there is no urination for a long time, and the patient becomes unconscious.

"If the patient remains in shock for long, multi-organ failure occurs. That is why, more patients are now dying from dengue shock syndrome. Therefore, if anyone suffers from fever, they have to be given more liquid at home to stop them from going into shock," he added.

Late hospitalisation is a challenge: DGHS

Professor Dr Nazmul Islam, line director of Communicable Disease Control at DGHS, told TBS, "Second or third-time dengue sufferers are dying in greater numbers. Most dengue patients try to avoid hospitalisation. They try to cure themselves with medicine from the local pharmacies while their condition deteriorates. At one point, patients go into shock. So, the late arrival of patients to the hospital is challenging for us."

"When a patient in shock comes to the hospital, doctors try their best to save the patient but sometimes it is not possible, that is why the number of dengue deaths is increasing. It is my request to the patients — if you have a fever, then you should take a test without delay and go to the doctor," said Nazmul Islam.

Dengue cases, deaths in August surpass all previous records

Dr Ahmedul Kabir, also the secretary general of the Bangladesh Society of Medicine, thinks that the number of deaths from a simple, treatable disease like dengue cannot be reduced for a number of reasons.

He told TBS, "The problem is that patients are going into shock very quickly. It is important to keep the patient's blood pressure in check. Most patients think that they can treat the disease at home. Some of these patients' conditions deteriorate the most."

"Every patient with fever should go visit a qualified physician for a checkup. The doctor can then determine whether the patient has any severe symptoms or has any risk of going into shock. But if patients arrive at the hospital in a critical condition, then it is very difficult to cure them," he added.