Illustration of Chikungunya. Prothom Alo
At least 1.8 million people are feared to be infected with Chikungunya in the capital this year. One in 10 people in the city are at risk of the mosquito-borne fever, says a study.
The study, based on three surveys conducted by the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) in 2011 and 2013, says around 10 per cent of the people in Dhaka city are at risk of being infected by Chikungunya, said professor Mahmudur Rahman, former director of the IEDCR.
According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, around 18.24 million people live in Dhaka city.
Of them, 10 per cent, around 1.8 million, are at risk of being infected by Chikungunya.
International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) director professor Meerjady Sabrina told Prothom Alo, “I don’t agree with the statement that one out of 10 people in Dhaka city may be affected by Chikungunya.”
She, however, declined to comment further about this.
The IEDCR conducted a survey over mobile phone in July this year.
Some 4,775 dwellers of the city were contacted with this survey and some 357 people said that they suffered from Chikungunya fever.
A Dhaka Medical College Hospital associate professor said, there are Chikungunya patients in almost every family of Dhaka city now. So, it is not inaccurate to say that 10 per cent Dhaka dwellers have been suffering from the disease.
Source: Prothom Alo
