Gulshan-Banani face higher risk of dengue in DNCC
The DSCC has the highest Aedes larvae density among the two city corporations
A monsoon survey conducted by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) found higher density of Aedes mosquito larvae in the Gulshan-Banani areas of the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC).
According to another survey conducted in March this year, the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has the highest Aedes larvae density among the two city corporations.
The data was found during pre-monsoon and monsoon surveys conducted by the DGHS in March and July respectively.
The July survey, conducted in 100 areas of 98 wards under the two city corporations, found the presence of Aedes mosquito larvae in 79 percent areas of the DSCC and 58 percent areas of the DNCC.
The Gulshan-Banani areas face the highest risk of dengue infection in the DNCC, while the Swamibagh-Shabujbagh areas in DSCC also face an elevated risk of the disease.
“The density of Aedes mosquito larvae is over the safe level in many different areas of Dhaka, which significantly increases the risk of further dengue infection,” said Dr MM Akhtaruzzaman, deputy programme manager at the Communicable Disease Control of the DGHS.
He added that the city corporations must destroy the breeding grounds of Aedes mosquito larvae to bring the dengue epidemic under control.
The survey also revealed that the highest level of mosquito larvae was found in abandoned tyres.
The presence of Aedes mosquito was 22.9 percent in abandoned tyres, 11.3 percent in stagnant water in the under construction buildings, 7.7 percent in drums, 4.84 percent in water tanks and plastic buckets, 3.55 percent in empty paint cans, 3.87 percent in flower tubs and terracotta pots and 2.90 percent in plastic mugs.
According to the pre-monsoon survey, the presence of Aedes mosquito larvae was in 26 percent in DSCC areas and in 21 percent in under DNCC areas.
Commenting on the issue, Dr Sanya Tahmina, director (Disease Control) of the DGHS, said: “Increased number of adult Aedes mosquitoes and larvae has contributed to the increasing number of dengue patients throughout Dhaka.
“However, areas that have a lower density of mosquitoes are not necessarily safe either. The mosquito breeding grounds must be destroyed to eliminate dengue infections.”
It is difficult to ascertain which city corporation has the highest number of dengue patients. However, data from the Shishu Hospital showed a majority of the patients admitted there are from areas under the DSCC.
“By analyzing patient information, we can tell that more patients are being admitted in the hospital from the Farmgate, Wari and Mohammadpur areas of the capital,” said epidemiologist Kinkar Ghosh of the hospital.
The number of dengue patients in Dhaka reached 19,081 as of Sunday. Among these patients, a total of 1,870 infected were admitted to different hospital in the past 24 hours. Among them, 1,053 are from Dhaka and 817 are from the rest of the country.
More than 7,369 patients are presently undergoing treatment in hospitals across Bangladesh.
According to the DGHS, a total of 24,804 people were infected by dengue since January this year and the death toll currently stands at 18 people. However, unofficial sources have put the death toll as high as 60.