DHAKA, October 12, 2026 (DAILYNWZ) — Bangladesh has recorded 303 dengue deaths since January, with infections approaching 100,000, as the mosquito-borne disease continues to take a heavier toll than during the same period last year.
Health authorities reported four additional deaths on Sunday and nearly 2,200 new hospital admissions, bringing the cumulative number of cases to 99,275, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
October has already accounted for 58 deaths, following 148 in September. Of those hospitalized this year, 92,803 patients have recovered and been discharged.
The latest figures point to a marked deterioration from 2025, when Bangladesh recorded 53,606 cases and 225 deaths over the corresponding period, DGHS data show. The country’s dengue season typically runs from June through September, although infections and fatalities have continued into October.
Dengue spreads through the bites of infected mosquitoes. There is no specific treatment for the viral disease, making prevention and timely medical care important in limiting its impact.
The outbreak has also surpassed the country’s previous annual death record. Bangladesh, a South Asian nation of about 175 million people, recorded 281 dengue deaths in 2022, its highest yearly toll at the time.
A separate outbreak involving measles-like symptoms is also placing pressure on the country’s health response. Authorities reported seven additional deaths linked to such symptoms and more than 1,200 new infections.
Since mid-March, deaths associated with measles infections have reached 1,162, although only 104 have been confirmed as measles deaths. The distinction reflects the difference between deaths linked to suspected infections and those officially attributed to confirmed cases.
The number of reported cases involving measles-like symptoms has climbed to 205,028, while laboratory-confirmed cases stand at 22,421.
In response, the Health Ministry has immunized around 20 million children. The effort supplements routine vaccinations and a catch-up campaign launched in late September as authorities seek to contain the outbreak.
The two outbreaks underscore the scale of Bangladesh’s current public health challenge, with dengue infections nearing six figures and a substantial number of measles-related illnesses still under investigation or confirmation.