Dhaka, Aug 10: Eighteen people have died and about 1,300 have fallen ill in Bangladesh in an outbreak of dengue fever, officials said today. An official in the government's health control room said 18 people have died this season and at least 1,299 people have fallen ill from the mosquito-borne disease. Most of the cases were reported in the capital, Dhaka, while others have been found in areas bordering India, he said.
Doctors blamed the outbreak on a dry spell following days of rain, ideal conditions for dengue-carrying mosquitoes to breed.
Abdullah Abu Sayeed, a teacher who started an anti-dengue campaign several years ago, said people were not yet aware of the illness's dangers. "Now we are going from home to home to ensure people take care of themselves rather than wait for official measures," he said.
In 2000, Bangladesh announced a five-year action plan to contain dengue fever after 3,837 people contracted the disease and 70 people died.
A dengue outbreak last year claimed 11 lives.
Bureau Report