United News of Bangladesh

Manikganj is witnessing a sharp rise in diarrhea cases, with children being the most affected. The 250-bed district hospital's diarrhea unit, which has a capacity of 20 beds, is struggling to accommodate patients. Many patients are being treated on the floor due to overcrowding, putting additional pressure on nurses and doctors. According to hospital authorities, the number of diarrhea patients began increasing in October. The unit treated 359 patients in October and 355 in November. The trend continued into December, with over 600 patients admitted from the start of the month until December 23. Dengue: One more death reported in 24hrs Alpana Akter, in charge of the diarrhea ward, said that around 20 patients are arriving daily, most of whom are children. Each child is often accompanied by two or three family members, exacerbating the space shortage. Some patients, unable to secure space, have opted for private clinics or hospitals. Shiuli Begum, the mother of 4-year-old Akib, who is currently admitted, said that her child had been experiencing vomiting and diarrhea. Despite some improvement after two days of treatment, symptoms persist. She also raised concerns about the ward's unhygienic conditions, which may pose additional health risks to patients and caregivers. Furthermore, many essential medicines are unavailable, forcing families to purchase them from outside. Dengue prevention neglected in underprivileged areas: Speakers Dr. ABM Touhiduzzaman, residential medical officer (RMO) of the hospital, confirmed that the diarrhea unit has only 20 beds but is accommodating 30 to 40 patients daily. He acknowledged that overcrowding has led to deteriorating sanitary conditions. However, the nurses and doctors on duty at the diarrhoea unit said they were providing medical services to the best of their ability. They are struggling to get treatment due to the pressure of additional patients. There are enough food saline, paracetamol medicines for diarrhea patients, but due to lack of supply of Ciprocin medicines, including cholera saline, patients have to buy them from outside. Pediatric specialist Dr. Nilufar Yasmin highlighted that cold-related illnesses are contributing to the influx of child patients. She attributed the increase in diarrhea cases primarily to rotavirus infections, which are more common in winter. To prevent further cases, she advised maintaining hygiene, keeping children warm, and avoiding cold foods. Hospital Superintendent Dr. Baha Uddin said that additional measures are being taken to manage the patient overflow, including plans to transfer diarrhea patients to other wards. However, the current situation remains critical due to space constraints and medicine shortages.

Khulna Shishu Hospital  has been struggling with rising number of pneumonia and diarrhoea patients, aged between 25 days to five years,  from six southern districts due to outbreak of the diseases amid severe cold. Everyday 25 children are brought to the outdoor unit of the hospital on an average for treatment but the hospital authorities are not being able to provide beds to the patients anymore. Children from Narail, Satkhira, Bagerhat, Pirojpur, Gopalganj, Mongla and different upazilas of Khulna district are being brought to Khulna Shishu Hospital for treatment. Read:For an Australian in Khulna, home is where his heart was won Md Bellal Hossain, father of one-year old Rabiul Islam, said  his son was admitted to the hospital on Monday with diarrhoea but his physical condition remained unchanged. Meanwhile, Arban, a 14-month-old son of Ashraful Islam of Jashore's Abhaynagar upazila, was admitted to the hospital on December 22 with diarrhoea. His mother said his condition has improved. Dr Md Nur-e-Alam Siddiqui, Senior Medical Officer of Khulna Shishu Hospital, said children are suffering from diarrhea due to rotavirus and bacterial infection. “There is no specific medicine for viral diarrhea. If the baby gets dehydrated, he or she should be given saline, breast milk, coconut water and pure drinking water,” said the physician. After the heavy rains of December 4-6, triggered by the Bay depression,, the temperature started to fall in the southern part of the country. However, the outbreaks of pneumonia and pneumonia have been reported in children in the region since October. Read:Khulna fisherman killed by tiger, body found According to hospital sources, 230 patients were admitted at the hospital with pneumonia in October, 160 in November and 102 till December 22. On the other hand, 256 patients were admitted with diarrhoea in October, 362 in November and 361 till December 23. However, last year, 87 patients were hospitalized with pneumonia in October, 115 in November and 71 in December. Besides, 319 patients were admitted to the hospital with diarrhoea in October last year, 401 in November and 618 in December.

This north-western border district is seeing an outbreak of diarrhea as at least 50 to 60 children are reported being hospitalised every day in the last 10-15 days. In the 250-bed Chapai Nawabganj district hospital there is no children bed in the diarrhea ward yet most of the patients are currently children, said Rehana Parvin, Diarrhea ward in-Charge of the hospital. “Comprising the ward’s sofas and bed we can accommodate 24 patients. But as the number is five to six times higher many are staying on floor”, said Nasrin Khatun, senior staff nurse of the hospital. Until Thursday 12 pm, 51 diarrhea patients were admitted at the hospital and 27 of them were admitted in the last 24 hours. Meanwhile 50 people were released from the hospital after recovery, said the hospital authority. “It’s hard to even have a space in the veranda outside the diarrhea ward for my two-year old granddaughter,” said Taslima Begum from Maharajpur village who admitted her granddaughter Tyeba on Monday. READ: Diarrhea outbreak afflicts 160 people in Jhenaidah Hafez Abul Kalam from Debinagar village, uncle of another two-year-old Jubayer said, “The weather is too cold to stay on the floor as chilly wind keeps coming from outside.”

As many as 160 people have been admitted to Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital hospitalised after being afflicted with diarrhea in past two days, hospital sources said on Friday. Of them, 110 patients are currently undergoing treatment at the hospital. The worst affected areas are Hamdoh, Kanchanpur and Mollapara of the district. Authorities are struggling to prove hospital beds as the number of patients has witnessed a sudden jump, the sources added. Also read: Dengue kills 2 more in Bangladesh, 177 patients hospitalised Jewel of Alhera Para in Jhenaidah Sadar upazila said three members of his family have been taken to hospital with diarrhea. Sonali, a resident of Khandakar Para, her daughter has also been down with the water-borne disease, followed by her husband. Residential Medical Officer of Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital Dr Tapas Kumar said the affected are mostly elderly people. Read: Bangladesh logs another 7 Covid-linked deaths, 247 fresh infections He said shortage of doctors and nurses are hampering treatment of patients. Hospital superintendent Dr Harunur Rashid, however, said the patients are getting proper treatment as the hospital has no problem with medicines.  The situation will soon come under control, he said.

Various cold-related diseases affected 3,646 people across the country in the last 24 hours, the government said on Sunday.

Various cold-related diseases affected 4,534 people across the country in the last 24 hours, the government said on Thursday.

Various cold-related diseases affected 4,631 people across the country in the last 24 hours, the government said on Thursday.

Nearly 6,000 people have been affected by various cold-related diseases in the last 24 hours across the country.