October 23, 2006	Monday	Ramazan 29, 1427

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

ISLAMABAD, Oct 22: The level of concern about spread of dengue fever continues to escalate as six more cases were confirmed in Rawalpindi and Islamabad while scores of suspected patients were admitted to different hospitals on Sunday.

Secretary Health Anwar Mahmood said the number of confirmed cases in the twin cities had now climbed to eight. He said they were all under treatment at the moment.

He said three more children suffering from dengue fever had been admitted to Shifa International Hospital but they were discharged after treatment. He said no casualty had so far been reported in Rawalpindi or Islamabad.

He said the dengue fever had so far claimed 24 lives in Karachi. The number of patients admitted to different hospitals in Karachi has increased to 1,200.

He said the number of reported cases was jumping up because of the growing awareness among the public. He said the number of suspected cases might be much more but it did not mean they all were suffering from dengue fever.

The blood test of Aftab Abbasi, who is under treatment at Pims, shows he is suffering from dengue fever,” Assistant Director of the hospital, Dr Wasim Khwaja told Dawn.

He said several other suspected patients including Arsalan (21) of the federal capital, Gul Khan (30) from Rawalpindi, Ambreen Malik (15) and her brother Babar Shahzad (18) from Taxila and Wajid Ahmad of Haripur were admitted to Pims on Sunday with symptoms of dengue fever.

Their blood samples have been sent to the National Institute of Health (NIH) which will remain open to receive samples even on the Eid day till 4pm.

The first cases of dengue virus were reported several weeks ago in Sindh but now the disease has reached Punjab. One woman suspected of having the disease died three days ago in Chakwal.

The deadly virus carried by the aedes mosquito is not normally a hazard in Pakistan. Indeed little is known about the disease in the country with some doctors conceding that they had recently learnt about the causes and symptoms of the disease. Dengue is more commonly found in Southeast Asia but this year it has rampaged across India with scores hospitalised. There have been at least 93 confirmed dengue deaths in India over the past six weeks.

Worldwide, more than 100 million cases of dengue fever occur every year. A small percentage of these develop into dengue haemorrhagic fever.

Early symptoms of dengue haemorrhagic fever are similar to those of dengue fever, but after several days the patient becomes irritable, restless and sweaty. These symptoms are followed by a shock-like state. Bleeding may appear as pinpoint spots of blood on the skin petechiae and larger patches of blood under the skin ecchymoses. Bleeding may occur from minor injuries. Shock may cause death. If the patient survives, recovery begins after a one-day crisis period.

The early symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, joint aches, decreased appetite and vomiting. The acute phase symptoms include shock-like state, sweaty, cold, clammy extremities.

Because dengue haemorrhagic fever is caused by a virus for which there is no known cure or vaccine, the only treatment is to treat the symptoms.

The doctors advise use of personal protection such as full- coverage clothing, netting, mosquito repellent containing DEET, and if possible, travel during periods of minimal mosquito activity. Mosquito abatement programmes can also reduce the risk of infection.

Online adds: Dengue fever checkup centres have been set up at the country’s major railway stations, especially in Sindh, on emergency basis on the directive of Federal Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad.