Dhaka, Sep 30 (IANS): A total of 1,221 people were diagnosed with dengue fever in Bangladesh the highest number in a single day so far this year, according to the Ministry of Health.

This was recorded in the past 24 hours, on Sunday. In the same period, eight people died due to the mosquito-borne disease, raising the death toll to 158 so far this year.

With the fresh infections, the number of dengue cases surged to 29,786 in Bangladesh, the ministry said.

In order to fight the rising number of dengue cases, Bangladeshi health authorities have strengthened measures to check the breeding of mosquitoes and conduct anti-larval operations, Xinhua news agency reported.

The June-September monsoon period is the season of dengue fever in Bangladesh, considered a high-risk nation for mosquito-borne diseases.

Dengue is a viral disease spread by the bite of an infected mosquito and is prevalent in tropical and subtropical areas.

Dengue can start with flu-like symptoms like fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, and rash. Symptoms usually appear 3 to 14 days after infection and generally last less than a week.

The bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito, such as Ae. aegypti or Ae. albopictus spreads Dengue. These mosquitoes can bite both indoors and outdoors and can bite during the day and night.