Which Infectious Disease Caused 800 Deaths Due to "No Vaccine or Treatment"?

Bangladesh Tropical Infectious Disease 'Dengue Fever'
Experts: "Due to Authorities' Insufficient Response Capability"

The number of deaths from the tropical infectious disease 'dengue fever' in Bangladesh has approached 800, marking a record high.

According to the Associated Press, citing Bangladeshi government statistics on the 16th (local time), the number of dengue fever deaths reached 778 and infections totaled 157,172 as of the previous day. These figures represent a significant increase compared to 281 deaths last year up to September this year.

On the 14th (local time), dengue fever patients were receiving treatment at Mugda Medical College Hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Dengue fever is an acute febrile illness caused by the dengue virus infecting humans. It is transmitted through the bite of mosquitoes carrying the dengue virus.

After an incubation period of 3 to 8 days, symptoms such as high fever, headache, muscle pain, leukopenia, and bleeding appear, usually improving after about a week. However, if it progresses to a severe stage, the condition rapidly worsens. Fluid may accumulate in the pleura or abdomen, and bleeding can occur in the intestines. In such cases, the mortality rate can rise to 40-50%. There are currently no vaccines or treatments available for dengue fever.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently warned that viruses transmitted by mosquitoes, including dengue fever, Zika virus, chikungunya, and yellow fever, are spreading faster due to climate change.

Experts believe that the unprecedented number of dengue fever deaths in Bangladesh this year is due to the authorities' inadequate response capabilities.

Some residents of Dhaka have expressed dissatisfaction with the authorities' insufficient response. A resident of the Basabo area in Dhaka city said, "Our home is in a dengue risk area, and there is more garbage and waste accumulated here compared to other areas. Despite being careful and using mosquito nets, my daughter contracted dengue fever. If the Dhaka City Corporation and district office had paid more attention and sprayed insecticides, the outbreak of dengue fever could have been prevented."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.