LAHORE: The number of dengue cases in Punjab has crossed the 2,000 mark after 173 more people tested positive for the virus during the last 24 hours (Friday).

The figure has touched 2,000 in the last nine months — Jan 1 last to date. A comparison depicts an alarming situation in respect of fast transmission of the vector as only 100 positive cases of the same virus were reported during the corresponding period of last year (2020) in Punjab.

The data shows that on average daily three to five positive cases were emerging in Punjab in September last year and it has now increased to over 150 daily cases in September 2021. The reason is said to be a lack of surveillance activities and commitment to launch vigorous anti-dengue campaign in Punjab by the health authorities.

Most of the new cases have been reported in Lahore (125) and Rawalpindi (26). Multiple reports are emerging from hospitals that a number of dengue patients are reporting with low platelet count which has to be between 150,000 and 450,000.

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At the Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Khurram Nazir was shifted with critically low platelets (5,000) on Saturday. An official source said the patient was under treatment at the medical unit of the hospital where the doctors examined and suggested to shift him to the intensive care unit but he was awaiting bed in the ICU in a critical condition.

He said almost all the beds in the ICU were occupied and the doctors asked the attendants to take him to a private hospital or any other health facility to save his life as the patient is in dire need of platelet transfusion to avoid risk of hemorrhagic complications.

The official said the dengue-related deaths were taking place in the public and private hospitals but the health authorities are not officially notifying them. He said the virus was increasing burden on the hospitals as it could become an epidemic.

A majority of the positive patients of the virus in Lahore were going unreported, the official said, adding that the same was the case with dengue-related deaths which were yet to be confirmed by the health department.

About treatment mode, some medics suggest the Vitamin C-rich food plays a vital role in the immune function and helps platelets work correctly and enhance the body’s ability to absorb iron which is another essential nutrient for platelets. Studies show, they say, that papaya juice twice a day can also improve the levels of platelets besides bringing down the fever.

The doctors say the patients should not avoid treatment in hospital due to risks involved. Timely diagnosis and treatment is the only remedy to stop it from worsening conditions such as dengue shock syndrome and dengue hemorrhagic fever, they said.

Saturday’s official figures said the total number of the dengue cases was 2,013 across the province including 1,603 in Lahore. Of the new 173 positive cases, 125 were reported from Lahore, 26 from Rawalpindi, four from Attock, two each from Faisalabad, Muzaffargarh, Sialkot, Pakpattan and Bahawalpur and one each from Sargodha, Kasur, Gujrat, Jhang, Dera Ghazi Khan, Okara, Layyah and Rahim Yar Khan.

Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2021