Bangladesh, Oct. 2 -- Dengue claimed four more lives in the country in the 24 hours till Thursday morning, while 1,978 patients were admitted to hospitals across the country, taking the total number of dengue deaths this year to 249 with 81,598 hospitalisations.

The figures were reported by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on Thursday, the first day of October. The latest data showed that the dengue outbreak continued to put pressure on hospitals after September recorded the highest monthly death toll of the year.

The four new deaths came a day after six dengue patients died and 1,948 others were hospitalised in the 24 hours to Wednesday morning. The Wednesday figures had taken the cumulative death toll to 245 and tota...