Clicky
National, Back Page

Dengue and Chikungunya prevalent in the capital


Published : 13 Jun 2019 08:48 PM | Updated : 07 Sep 2020 09:50 PM

Like the previous years, this year too mosquito-borne viral diseases like dengue and chikungunya have started spreading in the capital with the onset of the monsoon. Every four hours a case of dengue or chikungunya is being reported at various health centres. Moreover, patients suffering from these diseases are crowding at the doctors’ chambers with symptoms such as fever with high temperature, back pain and headache.

According to doctors, these diseases can be prevented only through mass awareness. As these diseases occur from aedes mosquito bites, only complete awareness and knowledge about the spread of the disease and symptoms can ensure safeguarding from the infection. Doctors commonly advise patients to take paracetamol in case of high fever.

Moreover, doctors advise against taking aspirin or anti-biotic medications when infected with these diseases as it poses a fatal threat to patients suffering from dengue or chikungunya. If the fever continues over 4/5 days with severe lower back pain then patients are to receive counsel from specialists. Physicians added that there is no other option of getting rid of this disease or preventing its outbreak other than dealing with the aedes mosquitoes.

As this particular species of mosquitoes generally carries the virus of these diseases they mostly breed on stagnant water in rain puddles, flower tubs, abandoned tyres and old drainage systems. Specialists say that these diseases may prevail until November and the mosquitoes generally bite people in the twilight time of the day. However, dengue and chikungunya are not contagious diseases.

Although these diseases are prevalent there has been almost no perceptible action taken by the city corporations to destroy the breeding grounds. On the other hand, majority of the alleyways in the capital have not yet been fully repaired after the recent developmental actions undertaken by the government. Ajimpur colony, Hatirpul, Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi, Vootergoli, Kathalbagan, Gulshan, Banani, Uttara, Mirpur, Maniknagar, Badda, Khilgaon and other areas in the capital are infested with aedes mosquito.

According to renowned medicine specialist Dr ABM Abdullah, these diseases can be prevented only through mass awareness. There is no other way of preventing such infections from taking place. He added that anyone who has been infected with dengue can also get down with the disease again and again. Recently, between 1st and 10th of June, over 55 cases have been reported.

According to Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Md Atiqul Islam, work has begun on a central organizational level to root out the aedes mosquitos. Special focus has been given on creating mass awareness. On the other hand, Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sayeed Khokon said that they are going from door to door to create mass awareness. Only clean environment can prevent the spread of aedes mosquitoes.