Dhaka, July 19 (IANS). Four more children died in Bangladesh in the last 24 hours due to measles-like symptoms. The total number of measles-related deaths in the country has risen to 788, according to local media.
All new deaths are considered suspected to be related to measles. According to the new update, the number of suspected measles deaths in Bangladesh has increased to 693, while the number of laboratory-confirmed deaths stands at 95. This information has been revealed by quoting United News of Bangladesh.
938 new suspected cases of measles were reported in Bangladesh in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of suspected cases in the country to 1,17,648. 113 new confirmed cases of measles were recorded in the same period, bringing the total number of laboratory-confirmed infections to 14,431.
Earlier this month, health experts warned that rising cases of dengue could put further pressure on the health system and increase the risk of deaths. Bangladesh’s hospitals are already under pressure with more than 900 measles patients being admitted daily.
According to reports, major government hospitals in Dhaka, which treated thousands of patients during the first dengue outbreak, are currently struggling with the burden of measles patients. Experts have warned that if there is a sudden increase in dengue cases, there will be further pressure on already limited health facilities and treatment services may be affected.
According to Bangladeshi newspaper ‘The Daily Star’, the dengue situation worsened in June. 48 percent of the total dengue cases and 72 percent of the total deaths reported so far this year have been reported in June alone.
Health experts have warned that the figures could rise further unless concrete steps are taken to control Aedes mosquitoes, which spread dengue during the peak monsoon season in July and August.
Fazle Rabbi Chowdhury, associate professor at the department of internal medicine at Bangladesh Medical University (BMU), said that although measles cases have started to decline, the decline is not as rapid as expected.
“At the same time, the monsoon is creating a favorable environment for mosquitoes to breed and dengue cases have already started increasing. This will definitely put additional pressure on hospitals,” Chaudhary was quoted as saying by The Daily Star.
To prevent the situation from turning into a major public health crisis, he and other experts have urged the Bangladesh government to step up measures to eliminate mosquito larvae, expand temporary treatment centers and create separate wards or units for dengue to handle the growing burden of both diseases.
–IANS
AY/VC
