ATM Saiful Islam, Additional Secretary of the Health Services Division, has said that 220 people have died from dengue so far this year. He provided the information on Thursday (October 9) in response to a question at a press briefing on the “Typhoid Vaccination Campaign-2025” held at the Ministry of Health conference room.
According to Director General of Health Services Professor Dr Md Abu Zafar, although the number of dengue cases is higher than last year, the mortality rate is lower.
Saiful Islam said that in 2023, more than 300,000 people were infected with dengue, resulting in around 1,750 deaths. In 2024, about 105,000 people were infected, leading to 520 deaths.
He added, “We are now nearing the end of the calendar year. As of yesterday (Wednesday), 220 people have died from dengue. While we have not been able to completely eliminate dengue, the government’s efforts are showing progress. Our goal is to prevent any more deaths, and we are moving in that direction. We are taking all possible measures to control the disease.”
Abu Zafar said, “We are focusing on monitoring and statistics, and according to hospital data, over 50% of patients die on the first day of admission, which indicates that the disease had already progressed by the time they arrived at the hospital. We are striving to ensure adequate hospital management for all patients.”
The press briefing was also attended by Chief Adviser's Special Assistant on the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Prof. Dr. Md. Sayedur Rahman.