As the dengue situation has taken an alarming turn across the country, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) urged people to be careful and focus on ensuring that their surroundings are clean. It also urged people not to panic over the alarming rise of dengue, said a handout of PID issued on Tuesday. The DGHS also asked to follow some guidelines to combat the dengue outbreak. TIB disappointed over two city corporations' initiatives to prevent dengue in Dhaka Symptoms of dengue The DGHS asked to consult doctors on suspicion of dengue after seeing symptoms alongside 104 degree body temperature. These are: severe headache, pain in the back of the eyes, muscle and joint ache, nausea and rash. Severe symptoms of dengue The body temperature of a dengue patient may decrease abnormally between three to seven days after being infected with dengue. There may also be severe stomach ache, frequent vomiting, vomit with blood, feeling depressed or restless. Personal awareness DGHS guidelines also advised to keep the doors and windows of houses and offices shut and covering the body to avoid mosquito bites. Raising awareness in the community The guidelines call for raising awareness among families, neighbours and communities to prevent dengue and ask everyone to engage in a cleanliness drive. This year’s dengue death toll rises to 67 with two deaths in 24 hours Steps to stop breeding of mosquitoes Water should not be allowed to accumulate in the field or on the road in and around the house or in any place. Standing water in containers must be thrown out, said DGHS.   Flower pots, plastic containers, abandoned tyres, plastic drums, clay pots, buckets, discarded coconut shells, and battery cells should be dry so that the Aedes mosquitoes cannot lay eggs in these. Unused containers should be turned aside and mosquito nets should be used during the day and night. Nearest healthcare centre should be contacted if someone is infected with dengue. Best Foods to Increase Platelets in Dengue Fever Meanwhile, seven more deaths were reported from dengue in 24 hours till Tuesday morning – the highest single-day casualties from the mosquito-borne disease this year. The new casualties have raised the number of dengue fatalities in Bangladesh to 83 this year. During the period, 1,054 more patients – highest single-day tally reported this year – were hospitalised with the viral fever, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). So far, the DGHS has recorded 14,897 dengue cases, 11,511 recoveries. According to DGHS tally, Bangladesh has recorded 70 out of 83 dengue casualties in the months of June and July.    

The government of Bangladesh has issued some precautionary measures to avoid deaths and injuries by lightning strikes, which have already been declared a national disaster. Lightning strikes kill 250 people on an average every year in the country, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department. Thunderbolts also kill or injure a large number of livestocks. Lightning strikes mostly occur in from April to May till June and most of the deaths occur in flat lands and haor areas, said a handout of PID issued on Tuesday (May 23, 2023). Nine people including a woman died after being struck by lightning in Narsingdi, Chandpur, Kurigram Brahmanbaria districts on Tuesday. According to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, 2,164 people died in lightning strikes in the country from 2011 to 2020. Considering the upward trend, the government in 2016 declared it as a natiinal disaster. Also read: Lightning strike kills 5 in Shariatpur, Barishal To avoid casualties, the government has asked people to take the following precaution: • Thunderbolts usually last 30 to 35 minutes and people have been asked to remain in their respective houses during this period. It is safe to go out wearing rubber shoes in case of any emergency which will protect people from thunderbolts. • People, who are in open paddy fields during thunderbolt, have been asked to sit down on their toes and put fingers in their ears. • People have been asked to take shelter under concrete sheds or buildings as soon as possible and refrain from going over the rooftop or high places during this time. • Children have been asked to refrain from playing outside and stay inside home. Read more: Lightning strike turning into deadliest disaster in Bangladesh: Experts • Avoid places where there are tall trees, electric poles and mobile towers as it is dangerous to take shelter under trees. • People should refrain from catching fish by a boat without a shed. It also asked people to stop fishing in the sea or the river during thunderbolt. • If someone is inside the vehicle, then the body cannot be connected to the metal part of the vehicle. • There is no problem touching any injured people hit by lightning strikes and people should be treated in the same way as those injured by electric shock. Efforts should be taken to restore the breathing and heart rate of the person injured by lightning quickly. It may be possible to save if artificial breathing can be arranged within a few minutes, if there is any delay it may invite death. • Provide Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to activate the heart of injured victims and take the victim to the hospital by ambulance or vehicle as soon as possible. Read more: Thunderstorm Lightning Struck Safety Tips: Stay Prepared.

Precautionary measures which proved effective in China have helped Egypt contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, Egyptian deputy speaker of the House of Representatives told Xinhua in a recent interview.

Iraqi Health Ministry on Friday announced eight new cases of COVID-19, bringing the number of the confirmed cases to 46 in the country, of whom four have died.