Bite of winter: Cold-related diseases up in Chuadanga

People out for work amid wintry chill in Chuadanga, Bangladesh..

Chuadanga, Feb 9 —- The onset of a mild to moderate cold wave in Chuadanga has not only brought a chilly disruption to daily lives - it has also led to a surge in health issues.

Acting Resident Medical Officer (RMO) of Chuadanga Sadar Hospital, Wahid Mahmud Robin, reported a concerning rise in cases of diarrhea in children, with patients being admitted due to rotavirus infections exacerbated by the cold weather.

He reports that the number of cold-related patients has seen a notable increase, compelling around 700-800 individuals, including children, to seek treatment as out-patients daily.

The sun graced the skies throughout the morning. However, it failed to alleviate the persistent cold wave.

Yarul Ali, a chicken seller in the town, expressed his struggle with the severe cold air this morning.

“It’s especially hard when I sell chickens early in the morning. The extreme cold has also led to a noticeable absence of buyers,” he said.

Some day-laborers shared their experience of the increased intensity of this winter, and how it has been really challenging for them to work in the fields now. 

They said, "Our hands literally go numb in this biting cold, how can we work like this?"

The temperature, recorded at 8 degrees Celsius in Chuadanga on Friday morning, mirrored the conditions in Tentulia, the northernmost tip of the country, according to Jaminur Rahman Haque, the officer-in-charge of Chuadanga First Class Weather Observatory.

The observatory predicts a continuation of the mild to moderate cold wave, with similar weather expected tomorrow. Subsequently, temperatures are anticipated to rise gradually, and the possibility of rain has been forecast for the 15th-16th of February. - UNB