A total of 1,687 more people, suffering from the deadly dengue fever, were hospitalised across the country during last 24 hours, ending at 8:00am Friday.
Of them, 691 got admitted at various hospitals outside the capital, taking the total number of patients outside the city to 1,969 until Friday morning.
With the latest figure, the overall tally of the hospitalised dengue patients reached a new high of 21,235 with inclusion of 4,290 outside Dhaka since July 2019.
At present, dengue outbreak is spreading outside the capital in a fast pace, infecting people in all 64 districts on Friday.
Seeing an abnormal rise in the number of dengue patients in and outside Dhaka city, physicians are sensing an impending disaster in the country's healthcare system.
In the first half of July, some 120 dengue-infected people on an average were hospitalised outside the city. But the number rose remarkably to almost 500 in the second half of the month.
The influx of dengue patients outside the capital is increasing in a much quicker pace as per the recent data of the Health Emergency Operations Centre and Control Room under the Directorate General Health Services (DGHS).
Talking to the FE, assistant director of the control room Dr. Ayesha Akhter said the dengue outbreak is spreading fast outside the capital city in recent days.
She also said the number of dengue-infected patients was not significant in the early stage of July. But the number increased alarmingly in the later part of the month.
When contacted, medicine specialist Professor Md. Fakrul Amin said the number of patients infected with the viral fever is increasing significantly, putting extreme pressure on physicians and healthcare centres as a whole.
"The most terrifying factor is that it is spreading fast outside the capital as well, which is a matter of serious concern."
Mr. Alam said if the trend remains unchanged in the next couple of weeks, it will be a burden for the country's healthcare system, as the overcrowded hospitals will have no space left to accommodate patients further.
In the wake of the fast-rising mosquito-borne disease, both the Dhaka city corporations moved for importing insecticides to eradicate Aedes mosquito, main carrier of the disease.
"We'll import sample of the insecticide through our own system by Saturday or Sunday," the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Atiqul Islam said on Friday while addressing a programme at Uttara in the city.
He also said they will further intensify mosquito-destroying operation from Monday through making 10 divisions of a single ward under the corporation.
"From now on we'll continue the drive throughout the year, and we'll also take lessons from other cities abroad, which have successfully eliminated the mosquito," he added.
According to the sources, a total of 14 people have so far died of dengue fever, while 14,639 people returned home after receiving treatment from various hospitals.
Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader Friday called upon all to work together to control the dengue outbreak.
Inaugurating a procession in front of the Awami League's central office at Bangabandhu Avenue here marking cleanliness campaign to control dengue outbreak, Quader said the government has taken the dengue outbreak as a challenge.
"The dengue situation is not out of control. We have strength to control the situation. It is possible to control it through united efforts of all," he said.
Meanwhile, the BNP Secretary General Fakhrul Islam Alamgir called upon the government not to do politics with the dengue outbreak, and to declare emergency considering its current state.
After visiting some dengue-infected patients at Lab Aid Hospital in the city, he said the disease is spreading across the country, and experts opined that it will continue further.
"The outbreak should be tackled in a combined way by declaring emergency," he added.
At a press conference, organised by the Doctors for Health and Environment, former president of the Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) Rashid-e-Mahbub raised questions over ongoing activities of the authorities concerned in preventing the viral disease.
He also said the dengue outbreak is spreading fast because of their negligence.
"Everybody should take responsibility of the failure. The government seems to be engaged in a blame game. Two problems are there - treating the patients properly and eliminating Aedes mosquito."
Mr. Mahbub said a large number of people will go to their home districts in the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha. At the same time, the dengue carriers will also spread across the country.
"The mosquito should be eliminated from buses, trains and launches ahead of the Eid vacation."
On the other hand, the Nagorik Oikkya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna in a separate programme demanded immediate resignation of the health minister and two mayors of the city corporations due to their failure to control the disease.
He said the city corporations were alerted over possible dengue outbreak in March. But the mayors did not take it seriously, while the health minister went abroad with his family leaving people at risk.
"So, they've lost moral rights to hold the responsible positions. They should resign immediately," he added.
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