The death toll from dengue fever in Bangladesh has risen to 303 since January this year, with health authorities reporting four additional fatalities and nearly 2,200 new hospital admissions on Sunday.
According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the latest admissions brought the country's cumulative dengue caseload to 99,275, highlighting the continuing public health challenge posed by the mosquito-borne disease.
October has recorded 58 dengue-related deaths so far, following 148 fatalities in September. Meanwhile, 92,803 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals, according to official figures.
Bangladesh typically experiences its dengue season between June and September. However, this year's outbreak has resulted in significantly more infections and deaths than during the corresponding period in 2025.
DGHS data showed that 225 people died from dengue, while 53,606 cases were recorded during the corresponding period last year.
Dengue is a viral infection transmitted to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes. Although the disease can cause severe illness and death, there is no specific antiviral treatment for dengue, with medical care generally focused on managing symptoms and preventing complications.
The South Asian country, which has a population of approximately 175 million, recorded its highest annual dengue death toll in 2022, when 281 people died from the disease.
Measles-Like Illnesses Also Raise Concern
Meanwhile, Bangladesh is facing a separate public health challenge as health authorities reported seven additional deaths involving measles-like symptoms and more than 1,200 new infections.
The total number of deaths linked to suspected measles infections has risen to 1,162 since mid-March. Of these, 104 have been officially confirmed as measles-related deaths.
Authorities have recorded 205,028 cases involving measles-like symptoms, while laboratory-confirmed infections have reached 22,421.
In response to the outbreak, the Health Ministry has immunised approximately 20 million children. The effort supplements routine immunisation services and a catch-up vaccination campaign launched in late September.
The simultaneous outbreaks of dengue and measles-like illnesses have placed additional demands on Bangladesh's healthcare system, with authorities continuing disease surveillance, hospital treatment and vaccination efforts to limit further infections and fatalities.
