The incidence of mosquito-borne dengue fever is expected to rise this year but there will be no repeat of the 2017 chikungunya outbreak, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has said.
“There is no possibility of a chikungunya outbreak this year,” Prof Dr Abul Kalam Azad, director general of DGHS, said on Thursday while attending an open meeting on mosquito-control chaired by Health Minister Mohammad Nasim.
The minister called for Dhaka dwellers to keep their houses and adjacent areas clean to prevent the outbreak of infected mosquitoes, which he said was “getting out of control”.
A recent survey by the Health Directorate revealed that the most mosquito-prone areas are Minto Road off Bailey Road, Uttara, Chowdhurypara of Malibagh, Basundhara residential area, Elephant Road, Dhanmondi, Banani, Gabtoli, Moghbazar, Mirpur, Mohakhali, Nakhalpara, Sewrapara, Gulshan, Meradia and Shantinagar.
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The survey canvassed around 2,000 households in 100 areas of 93 wards in Dhaka from January 10 to January 20.
The survey also stated that the accumulated waste and dust along with dirty water triggers the high birthrate of the two types of mosquitoes of the Aedes variety which can spread Dengue and Chikungunya.
The first officially recorded epidemic of dengue was in 2000, while the highest number of cases reported in a single year was 6,132 in 2002.
Also present at Thursday’s meeting at the health ministry were State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Zahid Malek, the secretaries of Health Service Department and Health Education Department, and representatives of Dhaka North City Corporation and Dhaka South City Corporation.
Thursday, April 25, 2024
