JABAR EKSPRES – Bangladesh is battling the deadliest dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) outbreak this year in five years, prompting health experts to call for a national public health emergency.

On Tuesday, 13 people were reported dead from the outbreak, the highest number of deaths in a single day so far this year, bringing the total death toll to 127. Nine of them were from the capital Dhaka.

Meanwhile, there were 1,533 new hospitalizations, raising the total number of cases so far this year to 24,000, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

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The death rate from the mosquito-borne fever is the highest in five years, according to the DGHS.

The death toll is higher among women, while men are more susceptible. People between the ages of 18-40 are more likely to contract and die, according to the DGHS, which stated that 24 of the total deaths occurred in children.

According to Health Ministry data, 80 people died from dengue in the first 18 days of July while there were only nine deaths in the same period last year.

Public health specialists at an event on Monday in Dhaka on the dengue situation organized by the Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA), urged the government to take wider action as the situation is getting out of hand.

Public health expert Mushtuq Hussain at the event said the current dengue situation is a public health emergency.

Bangladesh reported the highest number of deaths from dengue in 2022, when 281 people died from the disease.