DHAKA, Aug 1, 2026 (BSS) - Public health experts and physicians have stressed creating mass awareness to prevent the dengue outbreak in the country.
 
They advised preventing the spread of Aedes mosquitoes, avoiding mosquito bites and consulting a doctor instead of staying at home if one develops dengue fever.

There is no alternative to awareness to check the mosquito-borne disease dengue since there is no universally recommended vaccine to prevent dengue and no specific effective medicine, they said.
 
However, the experts said, Bangladesh currently has favourable conditions for mosquito breeding, so active participation of all and keeping the surroundings clean are essential to prevent dengue.

Advising people to be aware rather than get worried about the dengue, they said the main way to prevent dengue is to control Aedes mosquitoes and that is why increasing public awareness is urgent.
 
The stagnant water is the breeding ground for Aedes mosquitoes. So, all should always keep their house yards clean and dispose unnecessary containers in dustbins. Water should not accumulate in usable containers such as flower pots, drums, buckets, air conditioners and water containers under refrigerators for more than five days in a row. The active participation of all citizens is the key to address Aedes mosquitoes, according to them.

Official data as of July 28, this year show 47 people have died of dengue. At the same time, 14,156 people have been admitted to hospitals due to dengue. A total of 17,009 dengue patients have recovered so far this year.

Earlier, from January 1 to December 31, 2025, a total of 1,02,861 people were infected with dengue and of them, 413 people died of dengue.

Public health expert Dr Mushtaq Hossain said the fight against dengue should not only start in hospitals, but also from people's homes, schools, workplaces and local communities.
 
If coordinated initiatives are taken to identify patients quickly, protect vulnerable people, ensure social support for poor patients and destroy mosquito breeding grounds, dengue-related deaths and suffering can be significantly minimised, he said.
 
"If we see rain as just a natural phenomenon for dengue, then the crisis will deepen. But, if preventive measures can be strengthened after the rain, it will be possible to gradually free the country from this annual outbreak of dengue," he added.

About the treatment of dengue fever, Dr Hasan Hafizur Rahman, an associate professor at the Department of Medicine at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, said there is no alternative to awareness to check the dengue.
 
He said the body temperature in dengue fever can rise to 102 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit and, at that time, the body may be cooled with tepid sponging.

"Apart from this, paracetamol-like medicines should be given every six to eight hours, understanding the severity of the fever. The main treatment for dengue fever is to manage adequate water in the body. Along with water, liquid foods such as fruit juice, soup, oral saline and coconut water should be given to patients to drink," he said.

Hafizur Rahman said the main mantra of dengue fever prevention is to prevent the spread of Aedes mosquitoes and to make arrangements so that these mosquitoes cannot bite.
 
He said Aedes mosquitoes lay their eggs in clear, clean water, so the places suitable for Aedes mosquito breeding should be kept clean and at the same time necessary measures should be taken to repel mosquitoes.

Also, the bushes, forests and waterbodies around the houses should be kept clean, he added.