Four dengue cases emerge in city, one dies

The fear of a dengue epidemic has increased with a surge in the number of patients affected with virus. One dengue patient died in Ittefaq Hospital on Sunday night while another woman, Mrs Dr Chatha was diagnosed with the virus at Mayo Hospital on Monday. Mayo The number of dengue infected patients increased to four in last two days. More patients are suspected and are being kept under observation in Jinnah Hospital. However, Health Department Punjab spokesman denied media reports of two persons dieing due to dengue infaction. The spokesman said only one patient Nasrullah Khan, 62, resident of Model Town who was under treatment in Ittefaq Hospital had died due to the disease. He said the death of patient Majid Bhatti, 55, under treatment in Jinnah Hospital was not due to dengue fever but a vein rupture. A handout issued on Monday stated that at present, three patients Azhar Mehmood DG FIA, Hussain Bhatti and Mrs. Rukhsana Ali wife of Dr. Muhammad Ali Chatha are suffering from dengue fever and are under treatment in Surgimed, Doctors Hospital and Mayo Hospital respectively and their condition is satisfactory. The spokesman of Health department said that according to Dean of Sheikh Zayed Hospital Lahore Prof. Dr. Zafar Iqbal, no dengue fever patient was reported in the hospital from 1st to 8th August. However, tests of six suspected patients were carried out but dengue fever was not verified. The spokesman said that during the current year from January to 8th August, a total of 50 cases of dengue fever were reported throughout the province, out of which 40 were from Lahore. In an earlier statement Punjab Director General Health, Dr Aslam Chaudhary had revealed that since July six cases of dengue are reported in Lahore. Medical experts believe the on going monsoon season may convert dengue into an epidemic since rain water ponds can serve as hatcheries for dengue carrying mosquitoes. Mayo Hospital Microbiology Head of department Dr Tayyaba said dengue may return with high potency since carrier mosquitoes breed and grow in clean stagnant water and rain water ponds can cause the spread of dengue mosquitoes. However, she said, malaria could also rise.