Expansive Dengue Outbreak Reported in Dhaka City

The World Health Organization (WHO) today announced the current dengue surge in the Peoples' Republic of Bangladesh is unusual in terms of seasonality and the early sharp increase compared to previous years.

 On August 11, 2023, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of Bangladesh reported 69,483 laboratory-confirmed dengue cases and 327 related deaths, with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 0.47% during 2023. The CFR so far this year is relatively high compared to previous years for the full-year period.

About 62% of these deaths were reported in July 2023.

Dhaka City Corporation is the most affected area in the Dhaka division, accounting for 78.9% of deaths. 

The pre-monsoon Aedes survey shows that the density of disease-carrying mosquitoes and the number of potential hotspots is at the highest level in the past five years.

Globally, dengue outbreaks have been confirmed in numerous countries in 2023.

Dengue virus (DENV) has four serotypes, and infection with one serotype provides long-term immunity to the homologous serotype but not to the other serotypes; sequential infections with a different serotype put people at greater risk for severe dengue.

Many DENV infections produce only mild flu-like illness, and over 80% of cases are asymptomatic.

There is no specific treatment for cases and clinical management is based on supportive therapy.

Neither of the two approved dengue vaccines are currently available in Bangladesh.

The WHO says dengue risk at the national level in Bangladesh is assessed as 'High' due to the ongoing rapidly increasing number of cases and deaths with the peak not yet reached, the high CFR compared to the previous years, and the increasing geographical distribution of cases.