Bangladesh tops 100,000 dengue cases in 2024

According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in Dhaka, the number of dengue fever cases has eclipsed the 100,000 mark for the second year in a row.

From January 1 through December 21, officials report 100,029 total dengue cases. The cumulative death toll is 561, or a 0.56% case fatality rate, higher than most countries.

About 60 percent of the cases were reported in October and November.

Division and city corporations reporting the most cases to date include Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) (21,049), Dhaka (Out of CC) (18,482), Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) (17,667) and Chittagong (15,249).

Two thirds of the cases were reported in men, while the deaths were evenly split.

This follows the record year in 2023 when 321,179 dengue cases and 1705 deaths were recorded.

The first dengue outbreak in Bangladesh was reported in 2000, and since then, dengue has become endemic in the country posing a significant health challenge.

Between 2000 and 2022, DGHS reported a total of 244,246 dengue cases, with an annual mean of 10,619 cases, including 849 fatal outcomes with a case-fatality ratio (CFR) of 0.35%.

Climate change, including changes in precipitation, temperature, and humidity, as well as rapid unplanned urbanization, were identified as strong indicators of an ecological imbalance that has led to an increase in dengue cases in Bangladesh.

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