Two more dengue deaths in Bangladesh take 2026 death toll to nine

Dhaka, June 21 (IANS) Bangladesh has reported two more dengue deaths in the 24 hours until Sunday morning, raising the number of fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease in the country to nine in 2026, local media reported.

During this period, 220 more people were admitted to hospitals with viral fever, bringing the cumulative infections to 4,900, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). The new deaths were recorded in Barishal division and the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) area, it said, the United News of Bangladesh (UNB) reported.

According to the DGHS, 60 per cent of dengue patients in 2026 are men, while 40 per cent are women.

Bangladesh reported 102,861 dengue cases and 413 dengue-related deaths in 2025, according to the DGHS.

On June 2, Bangladesh Health Minister Sardar Sakhawat Husain said that the government will not begin administering the dengue vaccine at this stage, the Dhaka Tribune reported.

Addressing journalists after a discussion meeting on dengue prevention, treatment, and guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare at the Secretariat, he said: “This vaccine is being used in only a limited number of countries around the world, including Brazil, Malaysia, Australia, and Thailand. However, it has not yet become a universally accepted vaccine globally. As an LDC (Least Developed Country), we cannot suddenly begin administering the vaccine.”

“God forbid, if even a single adverse incident occurs, the entire blame will fall on us. People will say that we proceeded without proper examination and evaluation.”

Husain stated that the issue had been discussed with the Prime Minister, and the government will hold talks with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF. He said that the Bangladesh government will consult the international community and if they receive approval and they consider the vaccine viable and safe, then the government will try to move forward, Dhaka Tribune reported.

“However, at this moment, we are not going to conduct a vaccination programme. Since it is not a universally accepted vaccine, we want to make our position clear to the public.”

Dengue is a viral infection caused by the dengue virus (DENV), which is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes. The majority of people who get dengue do not have symptoms. The most common symptoms are high fever, headache, body aches, nausea and rash. The majority of the patients get better in 1–2 weeks, according to the WHO. However, some patients develop severe dengue and need care in a hospital. Dengue can be fatal in severe cases.

–IANS

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