This year, dengue cases have increased five times: Health minister Zahed Maleque

From January to May of this year, 1,704 people have been infected with dengue, which is five times more than during the same time last year.

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has recorded 13 deaths so far this year. It said 320 people were hospitalised with dengue between January 1 and May 29 last year.

At a press conference on Monday afternoon at the Secretariat in the city's capital, Health Minister Zahed Maleque provided the media with this information.

According to the minister, hospitals all over the nation have set up special wards and beds to treat dengue patients. Nurses and doctors were receiving training to deal with the situation.

He claimed that in order to run the awareness campaign against dengue, they had enlisted the help of teachers, students, and soldiers.

In order to prevent the mosquito-borne disease, the minister also urged the populace to keep their homes and immediate surroundings clean.

Additionally, he mentioned in the program that the government would start its nationwide Covid-19 booster dose campaign this coming week.

The World Health Organization will provide the government with 30 lakh variant-containing vaccines (VCV), he continued.