One in every 6 dengue deaths is a child: UNICEF

One in every six deaths resulting from the Dengue outbreak was a child under the age of 15, according to a recent report by UNICEF.

The situation report, published on December 15, further shows that one in every five people infected by the mosquito-borne disease was a child.

As of December 18, 2023, Bangladesh has seen a record 319,475 dengue cases since January 1, 2023.  The number of fatalities has also surged to an alarming 1,686, marking the highest death toll ever recorded in a dengue outbreak.

According to the UNICEF study, children under the age of 15 constitute 17% of those infected.

Alarmingly, children under five are at an increased risk of severe illness, with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 0.30%, the report shows.

Among the reported 1,686 deaths, 57% were female, while 10% were children below 15 years old.

The report specifically shed light on the plight of dengue outbreak among the Rohingya refugees taking shelter in multiple camps across Cox’s Bazar.

As of 2 December, a total of 17,469 individuals had tested positive for dengue. This includes 4,062 Bangladeshis and 13,407 individuals from Rohingya camps as of November 26.

Among them, 2,300 were admitted to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital (2,001 Bangladeshi and 299 Rohingya refugees), and an additional 1,555 were admitted to Upazila Hospitals.

A total of 18 dengue-related deaths were reported across the district, with 15 deaths from Rohingya camps and 3 from the host community, the UNICEF situation report shows.

The UN children‍‍`s organisation has allocated approximately US$4.1 million to support the emergency response to the dengue outbreak in Bangladesh aiming to support “a multi-sectoral response to the dengue outbreak and prevent more women, children, and other vulnerable members of the population from further infections.”

UNICEF, however, highlighted a substantial gap of $1.5 million in dengue funding required to offer crucial support to vulnerable children and mothers amidst the dengue response.