Dengue has taken a heavy toll on young adults, people aged 21-40 years, in Bangladesh in 2025, with the age group recording the highest infection and death rates among all brackets.
According to the Directorate General of Health Services, the dengue positivity rate in this age group has stood at 43 per cent, while the case fatality rate has reached 38 per cent, the highest among all brackets.
So far this year, 27,955 people have tested positive for dengue across the country. Of them, 11,888 cases were among young adults, followed by 9,283 cases among children and adolescents (0鈥�20 years), 5,301 cases among those aged 41鈥�60, and 1,386 cases in the 61鈥�80 age group.
Out of 110 reported deaths as of August 22, young adults accounted for the highest share, with 42 fatalities. The other deaths included 29 among children and adolescents, 25 in the 41鈥�60 age group, and 10 among those aged 61鈥�80.
Public health experts and virologists say that while children and elderly people are usually considered most vulnerable to infectious diseases, recent dengue outbreaks in Bangladesh have shown unusually high mortality among young adults.
鈥榊oung adults are more exposed to dengue because they are more active and move frequently for work, education and social life,鈥� said professor Sultana Shahana Banu, a former virologist at Bangladesh Medical University.
Dengue deaths often occur when complications arise, particularly during secondary infections 鈥� when a person is infected by a different dengue virus strain after a previous infection, she said.
鈥楾his group is more likely to suffer immune disorders linked to reinfection with different dengue serotypes,鈥� she added.
Public health expert professor Rashid-E-Mahbub, also the chairman of the National Committee on Health Rights Movement, said, 鈥榊oung adults make up a large portion of the country鈥檚 population, increasing both exposure and infection risk.鈥�
Experts also observed that many apparently healthy young adults might have undiagnosed with health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, anaemia, or asthma, which could worsen dengue outcomes.
Young patients are also more vulnerable to disseminated intravascular coagulation 鈥� a severe condition where blood clots form throughout the body, blocking small vessels and potentially leading to death, they said.
Microbiologist professor Saiful Islam of the National Institute of Laboratory Medicine and Referral Centre said that many patients were not diagnosed with dengue early with the NS1 antigen test. Instead, their infections are often confirmed later by IgM or IgG antibody tests, he said.
鈥楾his means patients often do not seek medical attention at the early stage, but only after several days or weeks, by then complications may arise,鈥� he said.
Bangladesh has witnessed worsening dengue trends over the years. In 2023, the deadliest year on record, the country reported 1,705 deaths and 3,21,179 hospitalisations. The 21鈥�40 age group accounted for 593 deaths, or 34.8 per cent of the total fatalities.
In contrast, between 2000 and 2022 combined, dengue caused 853 deaths and 2,44,246 hospitalisations, according to DGHS data.
The first official dengue outbreak in Bangladesh was recorded in 2000, when 93 people died and 5,551 were hospitalised.
Past year, the country saw 575 deaths and more than 1,01,000 cases, with 1,00,040 patients recovering.
With rising infections and shifting virus strains, dengue has established itself as a serious and recurring public health threat in Bangladesh.
