As dengue cases continue to increase across the country, Sir Salimullah Medical College Mitford Hospital, like other city hospitals, is struggling with the mounting pressure of patients for the past week.

According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), five more dengue patients died and 1,239 were hospitalised in the last 24 hours till yesterday morning. Of them, 67 were admitted to Mitford hospital.

So far, 17,382 dengue patients were admitted to different hospitals, of which 3,365 were in Mugda, 1,134 in Mitford, and 1,259 in DMCH – the three highest dengue admissions in hospitals across the country.

Md Mehedi Hasan, an intern doctor working at Mitford's medicine ward yesterday morning, said the pressure of patients increased especially over the last five days.

"I have admitted six dengue patients at the [medicine] ward just this [yesterday] morning."

Brig Gen Quazi Md Rashid-Un-Nabi, director of the hospital, said they have been handling dengue patients since January when 34 patients were admitted. The number fell to10 in February but later increased to 14 in March and 16 in April.

It then shot up to 120 in May and went on to 598 in June. On July 5, the number of patients was 30 and increased to 67 on Wednesday.

He added that patients are coming from outside the capital as well.

The dengue patients are being treated in eight units in the medicine department and three units in the children's department, Rashid said, adding that since their initial management is going well, the number of deaths in their hospital is only six.  

He, however, mentioned that many NS1 kits (used for dengue testing) are not showing accurate results immediately. "They show positive two or three days later."

He suggested that patients facing symptoms -- vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, breathing obstruction, decreased urination and fatigue -- go to the hospital.

"Once the warning signs appear, they should go to hospital and consult a doctor. They shouldn't consume any medicine apart from paracetamol, but must drink sufficient amounts of fluid as severe dehydration may lead to organ failure."

Other medication is unnecessary for a dengue patient, he said.

Mohammad Mamun, a resident of Postagola who has been under treatment at Mitford since Wednesday, said he had been suffering from a fever for the past five days.

"I initially took some medicine from a local pharmacy but my condition didn't improve. When I began experiencing nausea and abdominal pain, I came to the hospital."

Ratan Islam, 21, who was also admitted to the hospital on Wednesday, said he contracted dengue from his workplace in Rayerbagh, where anti-mosquito drives are insufficient. 

"People in the area also lack awareness regarding Aedes mosquito, and so don't take necessary steps to keep their houses or yards clean."

The DGHS on Wednesday announced that the 800-bed DNCC Hospital in Mohakhali will now be a dedicated dengue hospital.

In a public circular issued yesterday, the directorate said, "The hospital has been announced as a dengue dedicated hospital to tackle the pressure of the rising number of patients in Dhaka city."

Besides, it has also opened a dengue control room in its Dhaka headquarter.