Dengue Outbreak Accelerates in Bangladesh
Dhaka, September 2026: Bangladesh’s dengue outbreak is intensifying, with 42,590 people hospitalised and 117 deaths recorded so far this year, according to health ministry data.
In the latest 24-hour period, at least four dengue patients died and 1,558 were admitted to hospitals, marking the highest daily admission figure recorded so far this year.
September Could Be the Worst Month
Health experts are warning that the situation could worsen further as September progresses. August recorded the highest monthly dengue caseload of the year, but experts believe September could surpass it.
Professor Kabirul Bashar, a medical entomologist at Jahangirnagar University, said his surveillance and forecasting model indicates that hospitalisations could exceed 30,000 during September if the current trend continues.
He also warned that weather conditions could support dengue transmission into October.
Hospitals Struggle With Bed Shortage
The growing number of patients is putting additional pressure on hospitals, with some families struggling to find beds.
Zahid Hasan, 32, said his four-year-old son was diagnosed with dengue after developing a high fever. He took the child to three government hospitals but could not find an available bed.
The child was eventually admitted to a private hospital, where he received seven bags of blood and plasma before being discharged.
Doctors warn that dengue patients can deteriorate rapidly after their fever subsides. Severe complications can include plasma leakage, low blood pressure, shock and heavy bleeding.
Dengue Spreads Across All 64 Districts
Experts say the spread of Aedes mosquitoes beyond Dhaka and other major cities is contributing to the rise in infections.
Dengue cases have now been reported across all 64 districts of Bangladesh, although Dhaka continues to account for the largest share.
Professor Tarek Alam, a physician treating dengue patients in Dhaka, urged people to take warning signs such as abdominal pain, dizziness and unusual weakness seriously.
Government Steps Up Prevention Measures
The government has intensified dengue prevention and awareness efforts, including campaigns urging people to remove stagnant water and other mosquito-breeding sites.
Experts, however, say fogging alone cannot control the outbreak unless breeding grounds are also eliminated.
Professor Bashar stressed that dengue-control measures need to focus on areas where Aedes mosquitoes are actually breeding and called for more evidence-based interventions.
