HYDERABAD, Oct 20: Sindh Health Secretary Professor Naushad Shaikh has said that because of prompt action taken by the provincial health department, the number of dengue virus patients in Karachi has declined from 200 a day to 40.

He said more than 900 patients of dengue virus have been reported in Karachi, out of whom some have died due to late arrival at hospitals.

He was talking to the district nazim of Hyderabad, Kanwar Naveed Jamil, here on Thursday.

He said that in addition to medical facilities at all government hospitals, four testing centres have been established for conducting chemical tests in Karachi while efforts were being made to increase such facilities at Hyderabad.

He said that he came here to monitor things personally and provide all lacking facilities, if any, in government hospitals.

District Nazim Kanwar Naveed Jamil informed the health secretary that all precautionary measures have been taken in hospitals of the district government to prevent outbreak of the dengue virus.

He said that the district government has constituted five spray teams and purchased five additional spray machines to increase the number of these teams to 10.

He said that it has been decided by the district government that in addition to provide free medical treatment, the required chemical tests of patients admitted to government hospitals would also be conducted at the district government expense while 50 per cent cost of tests would be provided to the patients admitted in private hospitals.

The district nazim also informed the health secretary that Wasa has been directed to identify and repair the leakage, if any, in water supply lines and remove standing water with immediate effect so that the source of contamination is plugged.

He said that all nazims of talukas and union councils have also been directed to advise the people for taking precautionary measures besides the staff of health and education departments has also been engaged to create awareness among the people for adopting care and cure methodology through their visits and informative literatures.

He said that though the district government was facing financial difficulties at present due to rains, it has earmarked some amount to meet the challenge of this deadly virus.

District Nazim Kanwar Naveed Jamil and Health Secretary Naushad Ali appealed to people to take all precautionary measures and protect themselves against mosquitoes, especially before sunrise and sunset when the virus carrier mosquitoes become active.

They appealed to people to keep their residential areas neat and clean.

The Director-General of Health Services, Sindh, Dr Hadi Bux Jatoi, additional health secretary Dr Captain Abdul Majid and Dr Masood Solangi were also present in the meeting.