KARACHI, Nov 6: The city is still in the grip of dengue panic as another 77 people from across the city were brought to hospitals, with the history of rash, high fever, bleeding and abdominal pain.
The death toll due to viral haemorrhagic fever or dengue fever remained unchanged at 29 in Karachi, but death of a woman was reported to the Dengue Fever Cell of the Sindh health department from Hyderabad on Monday.
A senior official at the cell, Dr Shakil Malik said with the death of a woman of 28 at Liaquat University of Medical and Health Science, Hyderabad, the overall number of people succumbing to the fever in the province has reached 33, as a woman of 28, detected positive for dengue fever, died around 11.30am on Monday. Ms Sughra was admitted to the hospital on Oct 31.
The DFC data of patients suspected of VHF or dengue did not include number of fresh admissions from Ziauddin and Chiniot hospitals as they failed to provide data to the cell. The two hospitals have been receiving dengue patients in good numbers.
With the input from two hospitals, the number of new admissions could have gone high. On Sunday the city hospitals admitted 97 new patients, said a source.
During the last 24 hours, ending 2pm on Monday, a maximum of 26 patients were admitted to Liaquat Hospital. The hospital admitted about 677 patients of suspected VHF or dengue during the last four and a half months, out of which 128 cases were detected dengue positive, while seven patients died.
A maximum of eight deaths, including five those of dengue positive patients and three of VHF suspected cases occurred at Aga Khan University Hospital since June last, followed by JPMC--seven, National Institute of Child health--three, Civil Hospital--one and Dr Ziauddin Hospital-- two.
With the fresh arrivals of patients in 10 government and city hospitals the number of patients suspected for VHF since June, 2006 reached 2760, out of which 951 have been detected dengue positive. Thus the percentage of patients identified as dengue positive comes to 34.45.
According to a DFC press release, patients’ positions in some city hospitals on Monday remained as follows:
AKU--28 (15 new cases), LNH--27 (26), CHK-12 (one new case), JPMC-32 (nine new cases), Bismillah Taqi Hospital-23 (three new cases), Hamid Hospital--23 with no new case, Abbasi Shaheed-48 (6), Baqai Hospital-13 (one new case), Patel General Hospital – eight (three new cases), Darul Shafa –15 with no fresh case, Darul Sehat – five with five new cases) and Kutiyana Hospital --17 with two new cases.
Seeing no letup in the infestation of mosquitoes, Karachiites are now pinning hopes on the onset of winter when average day temperature will not remain conducive for the day bitters Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes which are seen responsible for transmissions of dengue virus.A senior citizen and medical practitioner said the ongoing fumigation or fogging drive was not giving any up to mark relief and can be considered a psychological relief.
However, another expert was of the view that prevention programme, such as elimination of any standing water that could serve as a breeding site helps reduce adult mosquito population and there was a need to apply pesticides for adult mosquito control.
Talking to Dawn, Dr Ashfaq Siddiqui, a Pakistani professional having worked outside Pakistan for a longer period, said it appeared that quarters concerned are yet to carry out a correct fumigation or fogging exercise.
They are required to aim at transmission and control of virus and preventing further breeding of mosquito while knowing their susceptibility and quality and effectiveness of material being used, he added, saying practical aspects of fumigation also called for a focal spray and not any unplanned operation under the demands of nazims of union councils and towns, otherwise, use of insecticides with diesel or kerosene oil could cause harm to the environment as well.
When contacted, the in charge of fumigation of Karachi City District Government, Dr Shaukat Zaman, said a fleet of 50 vehicles fitted with fog generators had been carrying out fumigation in the city under a new schedule, covering all union councils of two towns in one day.
Against mosquitoes, at present the main intervention being carried out by the government is fumigation or fogging by machines using permethrine and deltamethrine (liquid), which was purchased in routine some months back and is considered safe for the environment and human beings.
To a question, he said fogging was being carried out on turn basis at every town with some gap of time, while the filed staff was being supervised by union nazims and CDGK’s health supervisors.
We have started fourth round of fumigation with the strategy that at least two towns located side by side and not far distantly are covered at least thrice in a day, he informed.
KARACHI, Nov 6: The city is still in the grip of dengue panic as another 77 people from across the city were brought to hospitals, with the history of rash, high fever, bleeding and abdominal pain.
