The outbreak of dengue fever in Islamabad and Rawalpindi is fast becoming an epidemic as over 130 cases of the disease were confirmed in the twin cities while the health authorities are fearing increase in such cases in the coming days.
Apart from revealing the frightening figure of 130 dengue cases in the capital city and Rawalpindi, the National Institute of Health (NIH) on Tuesday also confirmed total 4,201 cases with 11 deaths across the country. The deadly dengue virus, after hitting Lahore, is gripping the twin cities rapidly as NIH confirmed 92 dengue cases from Islamabad and 38 from Rawalpindi, besides confirming 4,201 dengue cases across the country and 11 deaths.
Though the virus is turning into an epidemic in the capital, the major hospitals have no mechanism to keep the record of the dengue patients; they are rather busy denying the official data of NIH. According to NIH, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) received 45 dengue positive patients, Polyclinic 13, Shifa International Hospital 15 and KRL five. The NIH confirmed 15 dengue cases from Holy Family Hospital, 8 from Benazir Bhutto Hospital and 15 from private hospitals.
When contacted, Polyclinic Spokesperson Dr Sharif Astori denied the figure of 13 and said, “We have received only seven dengue-positive patients of whom two have admitted to the hospital.” He said, perhaps, many discharged from the hospital had been included in the official data. When contacted, the PIMS administration said they sent 49 samples to NIH and received confirmation of only six cases while they received 275 suspected cases and confirmed 53 in their own labs.
The PIMS admitted total 26 dengue patients and discharged 14 while 11 are still hospitalized, but their condition is stable. Punjab is the worst-affected province as 3,846 cases have been reported and the death toll is eight. In Sindh, one dengue patient expired while total 195 cases were found positive by the NIH. According to the official data, KPK stood fourth with 25 positive cases. One death was reported from Nowshera. AJK reported five cases with no death so far.
While talking to Pakistan Today, health experts opined there was good evidence that sequential infection increased the risk of more serious disease resulting in DHF. DHF was first recognised in the 1950s during the dengue epidemics in Philippines and Thailand. By 1970, nine countries experienced epidemic DHF and now the number had increased fourfold and continues to rise. Today emerging DHF cases are causing increased dengue epidemics in America and Asia where all four dengue viruses are endemic.
DHF has become a leading cause of hospitalisation and death among children in several countries. During the 19th century, dengue was considered a sporadic disease that caused epidemics at long intervals, a reflection of the slow pace of transport and limited travel at that time. Today, dengue ranks as the most important mosquito-borne viral disease in the world. In the last 50 years, incidence has increased 30 times.
Meanwhile, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has established two special intensive care wards exclusively for the treatment of dengue patients. Capital Hospital Executive Director Dr Siddiq Akbar Satti said this on Tuesday in a meeting chaired by CDA Chairman Imtiaz Inayat Elahi. Satti told the meeting that six beds have been allocated in the hospital–three each in the Officer Ward (Surgical) and Officer Ward (Medical), said to a press statement issued here. The new wards have been equipped with all the essential gadgets for the dengue treatment including masks, mosquito nets, mosquito repellant lotions and sprays.
A special team has also been formed for the treatment and supervision of dengue patients comprising Dr Rashid Iqbal, Dr Fiaz Lodhi and other experts. Some other doctors would also be kept in the loop so that they could be called in case of any emergency. Dr Satti said presently two dengue patients named Nazeeran Bibi and Naseeran Bibi were under treatment at the hospital and that both were stable.
The meeting was told that the hospital staff has also been provided with special masks, gloves and other necessary gadgets for their protection from the virus. Briefing about the blood bank at the hospital, Satti said sufficient blood and platelets had been arranged. The CDA chairman said the authority had already made special pre-emptive arrangements to contain the spread of dengue virus by exploiting all available resources including fumigation, and above all the public awareness in that regard.
“The CDA has also allocated its resources including its vehicles and human resources to its Health Directorate,” he added. He said a close liaison had been established between various hospitals and the National Institute of Health, Islamabad. He said the experts were collecting virus specimen (mosquitoes) for research.
