Though dengue was rarely a big problem in the coastal areas of Bangladesh, hospitals there are now overflowing with patients.
What's happening?
According to MyKXLG.com, local experts say the surge is correlated with a lack of clean drinking water in the wider delta, a situation exacerbated by a warming world that drives erratic weather patterns. For instance, once predictable rain patterns are now more uncertain, leading people to collect rainwater for drinking, and this stagnant water is the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes.
The news site reported that a hospital in Barishal, in southern Bangladesh, is packed to capacity, and health chief Shyamol Krishna Mondal said it was the "worst we've seen." The town's 250-bed public hospital was treating more than 200 dengue patients.
Why is this news concerning?
Although only one in four people bitten by a dengue-infected mosquito will become sick, dengue fever can be life-threatening within just a few hours, according to the CDC. Milder symptoms include aches and pains, nausea, vomiting, and rash.
This surge in dengue cases is part of a broader global trend, as mosquitoes expand their ranges and extend their seasons thanks to changing weather patterns driven by an overheating planet. With this comes a greater risk of mosquito-borne diseases. For instance, health officials in Florida sounded the alarm after several cases of locally acquired dengue hit the state following Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
What's being done about dengue?
Several communities worldwide are seeking ways to manage their mosquito populations. San Diego County, for one, quickly sprayed for mosquitoes at about 170 homes after discovering its first-ever locally acquired case of dengue in fall 2024. And one neighborhood in Manila is offering a bounty for mosquitoes, "dead or alive," as part of a program aimed at controlling dengue, which has seen an "unusual" rise in 2025.
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