KARACHI, Sept 29: The death of two patients of Dengue Haemorrhage Fever (DHF) — one at Liaquat National Hospital and other at Jinnah Hospital — in the last few days has been confirmed, besides over a dozen such other patients have been reported in city hospitals, including Civil, Liaquat and Jinnah.

There are 10 dengue fever patients under treatment in Liaquat hospital alone, sources said, apprehending that there could be more cases in private hospitals.

According to medical experts, viral haemorrhage fevers are a group of illnesses that are caused by several distinct families of virus. Some of them cause mild illness while others can cause severe, life threatening disease, which include Korean, Crimean-Congo, and Dengue haemorrhage fever etc.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne infection, which in the recent years has become a major international public health concern while Congo fever is caused owing to bite of tick found on cattle. Dengue, as well as Congo, is found in the tropical and sub-tropical regions around the world e.g. in Pakistan, predominantly in the urban and sub-urban areas.

DHF is often called ‘Fever of Unknown Origin’ as many of ordinary MBBS doctors are not acquainted with signs and symptoms of this lethal complication.

The medical experts said the dengue haemorrhage fever is characterized by a fever that lasts from two to seven days, with general signs and symptoms that could occur with many other illnesses e.g., vomiting, abdominal pain, and headache.

The afterwards symptoms are tendency to bruise easily, or other types of skin signs, bleeding nose or gums while the smallest blood vessels (capillaries) become excessively passable, allowing the fluid component to escape from the blood vessels.

According to Dr Qaiser Sajjad, PMA general secretary (Karachi chapter), there exists not a single diagnostic laboratory in Karachi except Aga Khan Hospital. But the test is so expensive that all DHF patients can’t afford to be diagnosed in this laboratory.

He said that the MS of Civil Hospital, Kaleem Butt, informed him that specimen or other samples obtained from the patient were sent to Islamabad and they took three days to respond after a diagnostic test.

“After the current torrential rains, Karachi is dotted with stagnant pools of water and filth, which have become breeding ground for mosquito-related diseases,” he said, adding “It is imperative that the local government carries out extensive fumigation campaign in all parts of the city”.

He demanded of the Sindh Governor, Dr Ishratul Ibad, and other concerned to take notice of this and adopt remedial steps before the situation turns more frightening.

He also underscored need for educating doctors on how to identify the diseases in question as many of them may be unfamiliar with symptoms or the treatment required.—PPI