People aged 16 to 30 have accounted for the largest share of dengue hospital admissions in Bangladesh this year, making up 42% of all patients admitted with the mosquito-borne disease. The government’s Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) is investigating why infections are higher among young people and men, while women account for a higher proportion of deaths.
According to the latest Directorate General of Health Services data, 107,259 people had been admitted to hospitals with dengue and 331 had died as of last Thursday.
Among hospitalised patients, 14,522 were aged 16 to 20, 15,382 were aged 21 to 25, and 15,195 were aged 26 to 30. Together, the three age groups accounted for just over 45,000 patients, or 42% of all admissions.
Male patients in the 16-to-30 age group outnumbered female patients by nearly two to one.
Adults in other age groups also accounted for substantial numbers of admissions. About 10,500 patients were aged 31 to 35, around 9,500 were aged 36 to 40, about 12,500 were aged 41 to 50, and 12,000 were aged 51 or above.
The number of child patients was comparatively lower. Nearly 11,000 patients were aged up to 10 years, including around 5,500 each in the zero-to-five and six-to-10 age groups. More than 6,500 patients were aged 11 to 15.
Sajib Hossain, a pseudonym used for a 24-year-old garment factory worker from Ashulia in Dhaka, was admitted to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital in late September after suffering from fever for six days. His first dengue test was negative, but subsequent Immunoglobulin G and Immunoglobulin M tests confirmed the infection.
Sajib experienced high fever, headache and vomiting. He returned home after receiving treatment in hospital for seven days.
Apurba Kumar Roy, a pseudonym used for a 23-year-old resident of Shailkupa in Jhenaidah, was admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital with dengue on September 27. He developed dengue shock syndrome while undergoing treatment and died the day after he was admitted.
Epidemiologists cautioned that hospital admission figures alone cannot be used to determine age-specific dengue infection risks because population sizes vary across age groups. Such risk assessments require comparing patient numbers against the total population in each age category.
Mushatque Hossain, former chief scientific officer at the IEDCR, told Ajker Patrika that a higher number of dengue patients aged 16 to 30 was not a new trend.
“People in this age group spend comparatively more time outside for education, employment, business and various social activities,” he said. “As a result, they are more likely to be exposed to Aedes mosquitoes. However, further research is needed to determine exactly why the infection rate is higher in this age group.”
Hossain said current dengue data in Bangladesh were primarily based on hospital surveillance, leaving out a large number of patients who do not seek hospital care or have mild symptoms.
Women have accounted for a disproportionately high share of dengue deaths compared with their share of infections in recent years.
Directorate General of Health Services data show that women accounted for 57% of dengue deaths in 2023. In 2024, women represented 6% of dengue patients but accounted for 51% of deaths. In 2025, women made up 37% of patients but 48% of those who died.
Senior public health expert Professor Abu Jamil Faisal said detailed scientific research was needed to establish why more women were dying from dengue.
“The scientific reason is still unclear,” he said. “Women may face neglect at different stages, from becoming ill to receiving treatment. Lack of awareness and neglect by both families and women themselves may also be linked to this.”
Young people also accounted for a significant share of dengue deaths this year. People aged 16 to 30 represented 26% of all deaths, with 43 deaths among those aged 26 to 30, 22 among those aged 21 to 25, and 22 among those aged 16 to 20.
Epidemiologists said it would be premature to conclude that people in this age group faced a higher risk of death without calculating the case fatality ratio for each age group.
The IEDCR is examining why young people and men have higher infection numbers and why women have a higher share of deaths. The agency is assessing the role of dengue virus types, delays in seeking treatment, disease complications and shortcomings in treatment through field-level information and laboratory-based research.
IEDCR Director Kazi Ahmed Zaki said dengue deaths this year would undergo a “death review”.
“Work has begun to understand the pattern of deaths, including the actual reasons behind women’s deaths,” he said.
Zaki said many dengue patients in 2023 had arrived at hospital in critical condition after spending time receiving saline or medicines from pharmacies or unqualified practitioners. Many died from shock or multiple organ failure within 24 to 72 hours of reaching hospital.
The review will examine treatment records, speak to relatives and assess the full treatment process, including when patients fell ill, when they arrived at hospital, whether there were delays or deficiencies in treatment, and whether prescribed treatment protocols were followed.
Hospital admissions rose sharply from June after remaining low during the first five months of the year. A total of 3,197 patients were admitted between January and May, followed by 2,907 in June, 9,206 in July, 20,536 in August and 43,774 in September.
More than 27,500 dengue patients were admitted during the first 15 days of October alone.
The government has instructed district- and upazila-level hospitals to increase capacity amid the rising trend. Health officials said a temporary field hospital could be opened at Dhaka Medical College Hospital if required.
Mugda Medical College Hospital has been asked to increase its bed capacity, while Kurmitola Multidisciplinary Hospital is also being kept ready.
Nurul Islam, Director for Hospitals at the Directorate General of Health Services, said preparations had been made to add beds at hospitals in the capital.
“If some patients from the burn unit at Dhaka Medical can be transferred to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, beds can be increased in that unit for dengue patients,” he said.