From Zeeshan Mirza
KARACHI: At least seven people, admitted at various hospitals across Karachi, have died due to dengue fever — a vector-borne viral disease that can easily be prevented by avoiding mosquito bites — in the last 24 hours, according to the Sindh Health Department.
Dengue fever, which doctors say is slowly turning into an epidemic, has gripped several parts of the country.
A report issued by the provincial health department yesterday said that in the last 24 hours, 113 new dengue cases were reported in Sindh, out of which 107 were from Karachi.
In the metropolis, the highest number of cases were recorded in District East, followed by the Central, South, and Korangi districts.
Earlier, in a tweet, Karachi Administrator Murtaza Wahab said that fumigation sprays were being carried out against dengue and malaria in the District East.
Dengue cases across Sindh spiked after monsoon rains. As per details the increase in fevers has filled major public and private hospitals across Karachi.
These hospitals are: the Sindh Infectious Disease Hospital (SIDHRC) and Research Centre, Dow University Hospital, Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK), National Institute of Child Health (NICH) and Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC).
Dow Hospital’s Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr Zahid Azam said that the hospital was getting 40 to 50 patients for admissions daily.
“Out of these, eight are admitted to the intensive care unit [ICU] while the rest are discharged in a day or two and these cases are followed up in clinics,” he told media.
