Dhaka, July 9 -- Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Tuesday said the number of dengue patients increased in recent months.

"Dengue infestation is much higher this year. We've received many patients and are treating them," he told reporters at the Secretariat.

He admitted that there had been "one or two deaths" from dengue.

Dengue, a mosquito-borne viral infection, is spread to people through the bite of infected Aedes species mosquitoes.

Each year, up to 400 million people are infected with dengue, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. Approximately 100 million people get sick from infection, and 22,000 die from severe dengue.

Minister Maleque said he hoped the Dhaka city corporations would take proper steps to destroy t...