The country may witness a massive outbreak of dengue disease this year as heavy rainfall is occurring this summer, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

“We are urging city dwellers to be aware of dengue disease prevention… we are predicting that dengue fever may grip the country due to heavy rainfall before the beginning of the rainy season,” Additional Director General (ADG) of the DGHS Prof Dr Ahmedul Kabir told a press briefing on dengue situation at the conference of the DGHS here today.

In Bangladesh, people are infected with dengue disease when the rainy season starts, Kabir said, adding, “The dengue disease outbreak usually starts from June and continues till September.”

This year, the number of dengue patients in the hospital increased prior to the rainy season, the ADG of the health service department added.

Kabir urged the City Corporation to take all necessary measures to prevent the outbreak of the disease.

“If dengue cannot be controlled in the pre-season, the disease may spread on a large scale in the country,” he added.

At the press conference about the free dengue test, the maximum fee for the dengue infection test in private medical college hospitals has been fixed at Taka 500 and the dengue infection test in government hospitals is Taka 100.

Action will be taken against any hospital in case of taking extra fee, the DGHS official said.