Staff Correspondent

The number of patients, infected with dengue, is five times higher than previous year in the past five months, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Monday.

“A total of 1704 people have been infected with dengue in the past five months till May 28 and during this period 13 people died,” he said while speaking at a press briefing over Covid-19 vaccine at the Secretariat.

The Director General of Health Services has taken steps to control dengue as the authorities concerned are conducting dengue surveys and reports of the survey have been submitted to the two city corporations, he said.

Already a separate ward and corner has been created for dengue patients in hospitals and 2500 physicians and nurses were given training to tackle dengue, he added.

“We have engaged different people including teachers, students and military personnel to make people aware about dengue. Already, steps have been taken to make people aware through posters, banners and advertisements in televisions,” he said.

He also urged all to keep their respective houses clean, keep spraying chemicals for eliminating mosquitoes and maintain a healthy life.

Talking about the Covid-19 vaccine, the minister said already 30 lakh doses of variant containing vaccines (VCV) under COVAX facilities reached in Bangladesh and it will be administered as 3rd and 4th dose to the people from this week in all city corporations, districts, upazilas and municipality levels across the country, he said.

About 88.51% people have been brought under the first dose, 82.18 % under the second dose, 39.62% under 3rd dose and 1.85% under 4th dose, said Maleque.

There are no side effects in VCV vaccination and the World Health Organisation (WHO) also gave a positive opinion about it, claimed the minister.

The 3rd dose will be administered to people above 18 years while the 4th dose will be given to the people above 60 years or people who have been suffering from long-term diseases, pregnant women and frontline fighters, he said.

The 3rd dose will be given after four months of receiving the second dose while the 4th dose will be given four months after receiving the 3rd dose, he added.

Prof Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam, director general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Nazmul Haque Khan, additional secretary (hospital) and high officials of the ministry were present there.