Dengue cases fall in Khulna, 46 patients reported in a day

Dengue infections have fallen sharply in Khulna city. The health department said only 46 dengue patients were reported across all hospitals and clinics in the city last Sunday.

An inter-departmental emergency meeting of Khulna City Corporation was held last Sunday afternoon at the Shaheed Altaf auditorium of Nagar Bhaban. Administrator Nazrul Islam Manju chaired the meeting.

The meeting reviewed the city's dengue situation, the progress of drain silt removal, steps to sustain the success of eviction drives to free footpaths and roads from encroachment, and the formation of teams to care for trees planted under the tree-plantation programme.

After the discussion, the health department said the dengue infection rate has now declined significantly. Presenting data from all hospitals and clinics in the city, it said only 46 dengue patients were reported last Sunday.

The meeting noted that if the cleanliness and mosquito-control drives continue through this month, transmission will stop. It stressed appointing part-time cleaners in the city's wards to keep the cleanliness drive going.

It was decided to form teams to care for the trees planted under the tree-plantation programme, and to appoint additional workers to plant and tend trees on existing open land as needed.

It was also decided to deploy four people in two shifts to catch stray cattle roaming freely, and to form another team to vaccinate stray dogs and take follow-up action.

In the final month of the prime minister-announced three-month cleanliness programme, it was decided to appoint three to seven additional spraymen per ward, based on the ward's size and population, and to appoint waste collectors to remove garbage from major roads immediately.

At the meeting, the administrator directed officials to complete the drain silt removal work within the next 10 days. He also directed the authorised officers to prepare a list of the drains so that silt from the remaining drains in all wards can be removed together in the coming winter season.

The meeting was attended by KCC chief executive officer Rajib Ahmed, secretary Md. Reza Rashid, chief engineer Moshiuzzaman Khan, chief revenue officer Rahima Sultana Bushra, chief waste management officer Md. Anisur Rahman, chief health officer Dr. Sharif Shammiul Islam, budget and accounts officer Md. Moniruzzaman, and the heads of all departments and branches.