Four people died from dengue – a vector-borne viral disease that can easily be prevented by avoiding mosquito bites – in September, according to the Sindh health department.
Dengue has taken hold of several regions of the country following the rains.
Since the start of the year, nine people have died from the disease, four of whom died this month.
Mehar Khursheed, the Spokesperson for Sindh Health Minister, said Dawn.com that four women and five men are among the cumulative victims.
Karachi East has been the hardest hit so far, with six deaths from there, and one each from Karachi Central, Malir and Karachi South.
A report released Monday by the provincial health department said that in the past 24 hours, 113 new dengue fever cases were reported in Sindh, including 107 in Karachi.
In the metropolis, the highest number of cases was recorded in the Eastern district, followed by the Central, Southern and Korangi districts.
Earlier, in a tweet, Karachi Administrator Murtaza Wahab said fumigation spraying was being carried out against dengue fever and malaria in the eastern district.
Dengue fever cases in Sindh increased after monsoon rains. A Dawn report says rising fevers have filled major public and private hospitals in Karachi.
These hospitals are: Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital (SIDHRC) and Research Center, Dow University Hospital, Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK), National Institute of Child Health (NICH ) and Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC).
Medical Superintendent (MS) of Dow Hospital, Dr. Zahid Azam, said the hospital was seeing 40 to 50 patients a day.
“Of these, eight are admitted to intensive care [ICU] while the others are released within a day or two and those cases are followed up in clinics,” he said. Dawn.
Dengue Prevention Guidelines
The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) yesterday called on the government to make ongoing mosquito spraying campaigns more effective and to drain stagnant water and sewage from flood-affected areas as well as Karachi.
The PMA has issued guidelines for the prevention of dengue fever as well as the management of the viral disease, which has already gripped the city as hundreds and thousands of patients present daily to public and private hospitals as well as to general practitioners.
“There is no vaccine or specific treatment for dengue and the only prevention is to eliminate mosquitoes. It will also help prevent other mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, currently prevalent in flood-affected areas, chikungunya infection and Zika fever,” the association said.
According to the PMA guidelines on the management of dengue, symptoms of the disease begin three to four days after infection and may include high fever, headache, vomiting and pain in muscles, joints , eyes and bones.
It can also be associated with rashes. In the worst conditions, there could be bleeding from the gums, nose, mouth, ears and other parts of the body.
“Take all preventive measures to avoid mosquito bites using sprays, mosquito nets, mosquito repellent mats, repellent solutions, etc. Cover water tanks and clean up standing water in or around the house. School management should allow students to wear trousers and full shirts and have their school premises mosquito sprayed,” the PMA said.
He added: “In case of high fever, do not take any antibiotic medicine, antimalarial tablets or aspirin. Always take advice from qualified doctors. Drink plenty of water, eat fresh home-cooked food, sleep soundly, which will help to improve body immunity.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that seven people died of dengue in 24 hours in Karachi. The story has been edited to reflect the correct information. The error is regrettable.
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