KARACHI, Oct 3: Another patient, who was tested positive for dengue fever, died at a hospital here on Wednesday, when the number of in-house viral hemorrhagic fever cases touched the mark of 113 in 12 city hospitals.
According to an official of the provincial health department, the victim was a 26-year-old woman from Kharadar. She was rushed to the Aga Khan University Hospital, besides six other dengue-positive patients from different localities during the last 24 hours ending at 3pm, on Wednesday.
A 25-year-old woman, resident of the Defence Housing Authority, had died of dengue fever at the AKU about two weeks ago.
Health experts fear that the situation might spin out of control and the hospitals may see a surge in the number of dengue patients this year. Patients, both male and female, with ages ranging from 6 to 82 years, are coming from across the city, which indicates the prevalence of poor hygienic conditions, particularly after the monsoon rains, and poor disposal of garbage and below the mark fumigation in the city.
The health department’s data about dengue fever cases shows that the number of cases reported to hospitals is notably high.
Against a figure of 250 or so of VHF or DF patients recorded in August and September of 2006 in the province, now hospitals have registered as many as 502 cases in Karachi, of which 231 have been tested positive for dengue fever. Four deaths occurred in September this year in the city.
Reports from hospitals suggest that the VHF/dengue epidemic has made inroads almost in all localities. Patients, including children continued to be taken to hospitals from the DHA, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Garden East, Kharadar, PECHS, North Karachi, Malir, Clifton, F. B Area, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, University Road, Landhi, New Karachi, Akhtar Colony, Gilgit Colony, Shah Faisal Colony, Korangi-4, Jacobline, Korangi 100 Quarters, Jauhar Complex, Sherpao Colony, Korangi Industrial Area, Sherabad in Landhi, Qayyumabad, Tariq Road, Ghausia Market in Malir, Keamari, Chanesar Goth, Karsaz, Saddar, Model Colony, PIB Colony, North Nazimabad, Faran Housing Society and Garden West.
According to the health department, with the latest fatality caused by the mosquito-borne disease, dengue fever and dengue fever syndrome, the number of deaths reported to it reached five. The reporting cell on dengue has also approached a hospital for the confirmation of the death of the woman from the DHA, which has already been reported in a section of the press, said an official.
The breakdown of dengue patients admitted at different hospitals, as reported to the Sindh health department’s dengue fever reporting cell, was as follows on Wednesday:
Aga Khan Hospital -- 7, Liaquat National Hospital -- 15, Civil Hospital -- 6, Ziauddin Hospital -- 16, JPMC -- 41, Bismillah Taqee Hospital -- 10, National Institute of Child Health -- 2, Baqai Hospital -- 2, Patel General Hospital -- 5, OMI Hosptal -- 3 and Usman Memorial Hosptal -- 2. Health experts said there had been an increase in the number of patients affected by dengue fever virus in F. B Area, particularly in Gulberg Town, in the recent days.
They say that the only way to prevent dengue infection was to eliminate mosquitoes. The world health body and the federal health ministry should also probe the problem of viral infections in the city, which mostly has hit youngsters.
They say the authorities, including the international bodies, should look into the matter seriously and ensure inspection of residential places and surrounding areas as well to assess the root-cause of the cases.
The locality of patients and their living and working conditions, income, health facilities available to them and the overall environment and hygienic conditions around their houses and schools, needed to be known, said a senior doctor.
In the meantime, Karachi DCO Javed Hanif Khan presided over a meeting on Wednesday to review the measures taken by the CDGK against the spread of dengue.
The meeting decided that in addition to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, the Sindh Government Hospital in New Karachi and some other major hospitals of the city government should provide the citizens with free facilities for blood tests for detection of dengue virus.
The meeting also agreed that the fogging and insecticide spray exercise would be expedited in all parts of the city, including suburbs and rural sections, particularly where puddles, nullahs and rivers existed and sewerage manholes lay open.
