KARACHI: A 41-year-old man, resident of Baldia Town, on Monday was reported to have died of dengue at a private hospital where he had been admitted over two weeks ago.

This is the second death from dengue this year, as earlier a four-year-old dengue patient from Malir had died in February.

According to health officials, the man had remained under treatment for multiple health issues at the hospital.

“He was admitted on March 11 to the private hospital where he died on 28th. Although we have been informed that he was suffering from multiple problems, we will further investigate the case tomorrow,” said Dr M. Shakeel Aamir Mullick, focal person for Dengue Surveillance Cell Sindh.

The four-year-old boy from Malir had died on Feb 3, shocking health officials as it was the first dengue death in a wintry month since the deadly virus surfaced in the city in 2005. The patient was admitted to a private hospital in a serious condition and died the same day because of serious complications.

According to health officials, there is a slight variation in signs and symptoms of dengue in young and adult victims. For instance, children might complain of diarrhoea and gastroenteritis with fever, eating disorder and abdominal pain.

32 dengue deaths last year

Last year a total of 5,750 cases of dengue were reported, while over 3,300 cases were recorded in 2010.Thirty-two people (26 in Karachi and six in other parts of Sindh), died of dengue fever last year. The victims included 12 female patients.

The youngest patient who died last year was a three-year-old girl from North Karachi and the eldest one was a 95-year-old man from Larkana.

This year, 143 dengue patients have so far reported at different hospitals in the city, while eight patients have reported in the rest of the province.

Project to control dengue planned

Giving details of the Sindh government plans regarding dengue control, Dr Mullick said that a four-month project estimated to cost Rs42 million was to be launched in coming months in collaboration with multiple stakeholders including department of fisheries, agriculture, district governments, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board, Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) and Defence Science and Technology Organisation (Desto).

“The project having various components is in the final stages of approval. Suparco and Desto would help us in the fields of research and development,” he explained.

Under the project, he said, the government would make efforts to create awareness on dengue through the media and other sources, carry out research regarding mapping and identification of affected areas and take steps for vector control.

This includes fumigation by the KMC and district governments as well as release of guppy (one of the world’s most widely distributed tropical fish) and tilapia fishes (mainly freshwater fish inhabiting shallow streams, ponds, rivers and lakes and less commonly found living in brackish water) in ponds with the help of the fisheries department.

“Under the project, health inspectors could visit any place including hospitals, homes and factories with the consent of the owner of that premises and advise people how to tackle mosquito spread. There will be exercises for water testing,” he said.