Health crises emerge in Bangladesh and Vietnam

Bangladesh is experiencing a rapid surge in dengue fever cases, with 42,590 hospitalizations and 117 deaths recorded in 2026. Recent data from the Ministry of Health indicates a significant spike, with 1,558 hospitalizations in a single 24-hour period, marking the highest daily admission rate this year.

Medical experts warn that the disease can escalate quickly after a fever subsides, leading to complications such as plasma leakage, low blood pressure, shock, and severe bleeding. Health officials and entomologists suggest that the outbreak may intensify through September and October due to weather conditions conducive to mosquito spread. The Aedes mosquito is now being reported in rural areas and districts beyond the capital, Dhaka.

In Vietnam, authorities are focusing on rabies prevention following historical data showing an average of 77 deaths per year between 2022 and 2025. While Hanoi has not recorded human rabies deaths since 2023, several animal outbreaks have occurred. The city has implemented a national program for 2026–2030, aiming to manage over 90% of pet-owning households and maintain high vaccination rates to eliminate human rabies deaths by 2030.