LAHORE - Two top medics of Jinnah Hospital have suffered severe attacks of dengue virus and acute pyogenic meningitis respectively causing serious concern among other doctors and paramedical staff. It is worth mentioning that the dengue fever patients have started appearing in the public hospitals, as it was the seventh case of dengue reported in the during the last two months. Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Department Dr Shakil Khan Ghauri was suffering from dengue fever while Additional Medical Superintendent (AMS) Dr Zulfiqar Siddiqui has been kept under intensive care due to acute pyogenic meningitis. The condition of the later is reported to be serious and has been shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital. Late night on Sunday, he has been put on ventilator (machine for artificial breathing) with bleak chances of his recovery, the doctors said. On the other hand, Dr Shakil Khan took leaves for a few days to stay home after he was tested positive for dengue fever in the clinical reports, which suggested complete bed rest for some days for early recovery. Clinical investigations including IgM, IgG, and PCR were performed revealing that Dr Shakil is suffering from severe attack of dengue as his platelet counts have dropped to red level, touching 60,000 mark only. He was first examined by the Professor of Medicine and Principal Jinnah Hospital/Allama Iqbal Medical College Dr Javed Akram who suspected him as dengue fever patient for showing some related symptoms and advised him immediate treatment at the hospital. According to Dr Shakil, he is living in GOR-III where a tubewell is being misused by the local residents. He has submitted several complaints to the PHA authorities to depute officials to stop the abuse as due to water leakage, the local ground has turned into ponds of water breading mosquitoes in large number. Dr Shakil said he usually offer prayer in the ground and resultantly suffered dengue fever due to mosquitoes bite some days back. Meanwhile, on finding that health condition of AMS Dr Zulfiqar was deteriorating with the passage of time, the principal has directed a team of senior doctors to examine the patient on priority basis. Talking to this scribe, Dr Javed Akram said condition of Zulfiqar is very serious as he is suffering from severe attack of acute pyogenic meningitis, which is a communicable disease and proved to be fatal in case timely treatment is not provided. He said doctors have decided giving treatment to other family members too especially his children and wife living with him to avoid further spread. All the family would be kept under observation and doctors would keep in touch with in this regard. Dr Javed Akram said acute pyogenic meningitis is re-emerging in the current season and people should be more careful. They can protect themselves by early detection and treatment otherwise it could prove deadly in its last stage. Responding to a question, Javed Akram said some patients suffering from the said disease have been admitted in the hospital, thus revealing the alarming situation. He said usually elderly people are at high risk in case of disease spreads around. He said people should immediately contact to their family doctor or to go to local hospital on finding symptoms of the communicable disease for early recovery. Its vaccination is available in the market and it is responsibility of the medics too to take the cases of acute pyogenic meningitis seriously. Dr Javed Akram also confirmed that another senior medic of the hospital was suffering from dengue fever and said the hospital management has been made fully alert to cope with any situation as rainy season is approaching fast with dengue virus usually activates in such weather very year. Dr Javed said PCR Lab is fully functional and all the relevant investigations are being performed to detect dengue virus in suspected patients being brought with symptoms of said virus.