Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Sunday said from now the NS-1 antigen test to identify  dengue patients will cost Tk 100 at government hospitals and Tk 300 at private hospitals. This means people will not get the free dengue testing facility at hospitals anymore, even as the  number of dengue cases remains high in the country. The minister said this replying to journalist’s questions after attending a meeting titled ‘Review on ensuring community level mental health services,’ in the city. Also read: No let-up in Dengue in Bangladesh, 29 die in five days of November He said a direction has been given in this regard to all hospitals, that is in effect now. Earlier in 2019, the year of the worst dengue outbreak in the country till now, dengue test was made free for all by the government. Also from now on CBC (complete blood count) and IgM (Immunoglobulin M) tests will cost Tk 250 at Government hospitals. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) recorded 29 deaths from dengue in the first five days of November,  amid a sharp rise in dengue cases in different parts of the country. The directorate has recorded 43,107 dengue cases and 39, 569 recoveries so far this year. Also read: No respite from Dengue: Death toll rises to 167 On Thursday, the country reported nine dengue deaths, the highest death toll from dengue in a day this year. Dengue outbreaks in Bangladesh exceeded all previous records in 2019, mostly in the capital city of Dhaka. A total of 101,354 dengue cases with 179 dengue-related deaths were officially recorded.

The Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) is going to launch free dengue tests from May 11.