Dengue fever
September 29, 2011
They say officials have failed to take preventive measures to kill off mosquitoes. A police officer told the AFP that he was supposed to be out spraying the streets with insecticide. But he is laid up at home suffering from the fever and mourning the death of his father, who earlier died of dengue fever.
Asif Nadeem, a member of the anti-dengue task force says that hospitals are overwhelmed. They have already treated around 1,113 people and have already sent home another 10,000 to recuperate. At Lahore General Hospital, where most cases have been reported, even the corridors were packed with patients and relatives. Doctor Zafar Ikram told the AFP that the hospital was working beyond capacity to deal with the influx of patients. Because of the greater awareness about dengue due to the media spotlight people are scared. As a result anyone with a normal fever goes to hospital for the dengue test.
The outbreak has also hit the northwestern province Khyber Paktunkhwa, at least 130 people have been diagnosed and six have died. There are 400 suspected cases in the southern province of Sindh. The authorities have registered six deaths so far.
Widespread concern about dengue fever has also caused hysterical reactions. Some Pakistanis believe that America's CIA could be behind the epidemic, a view doctors describe as ridiculous.
Symptoms of dengue
Dengue results in fever and aching muscles and joints. It can lead to death after causing haemorrhagic fever characterised by bleeding and loss of blood pressure. Prevention methods are focused on controlling the mosquitoes that spread the disease. Prolonged monsoon rains and unusually high seasonal temperatures are the main reason for outbreaks of dengue fever this year in Pakistan. But dengue can also be transmitted through infected blood products and organ donation. Vertical transmission, from mother to child, during pregnancy or at birth has been reported in different countries where dengue is acute. The illness can also be life-threatening for people suffering from chronic diseases like diabetes and asthma.
Dengue infects around 220 million people world wide a year, leading to half a million hospitalizations and between 12,500 to 25,000 deaths. It has been reported that dengue increased worldwide 30 fold especially between 1960 and 2010. This increase of dengue is believed to be due to several factors. A combination of global warming, population growth, urbanization and increased international travel are among them. There is still no vaccine available.
Author: Marina Joarder (Reuters, AFP)
Editor: Grahame Lucas