ISLAMABAD - The dengue virus has so far claimed eight lives in federal capital hospitals; however, the national counts are gradually growing down, The Nation learnt on Monday.
As per the details available with The Nation, six dengue patients so far died at Federal Government Services (FGS) Polyclinic hospital and two at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).
Officials said that where the number of patients has started decreasing at national level, the patients’ influx has still not decreased in federal hospitals.
They said that around 250 dengue suspects are being reported at PIMS daily while 200 at Polyclinic OPD.
Doctors at PIMS confirmed that two dengue patients lost life at the hospital in two consecutive days, and the recent one was resident of Iqbal Colony.
However, PIMS Executive Director Anxer Maqsood rescued himself regarding confirming the death of dengue patients.
“Dengue Control Cell at NIH can update on dengue,” he said.
When contacted Dengue Control Cell Coordinator Rana Safdar, he said that update of dengue patients is given after 24 hours, and in the last 24 hours one death has been reported at Polyclinic hospital.
Meanwhile, statement issued by Polyclinic hospital said that five dengue patients lost their life at hospital, above 130 are admitted and six are in serious condition.
The hospital has so far treated 2,496 dengue patients.
The statement issued by the Dengue Control Cell established at National Institute of Health (NIH) said that the outbreak is stabilising with national counts gradually growing down.
It said that a total of 731 new Dengue cases were reported from entire country raising the 2019 tally to 23,628.
It also added that bulk of the new cases is being reported from twin cities, Karachi and Muzaffarabad.
About twin cities situation on dengue, the statement said that all new cases are being picked from government and private hospitals through active surveillance.
During the last 24 hours, a total of 80 teams worked under 13 supervisors to conduct 363 response activities in urban and rural areas of Islamabad.
It said that teams in both cities are doing active larva surveillance and instituting urgent response measures using the set SOPs.
As a result, a consistent decrease in container index for mosquito larva has been observed in both urban and rural Islamabad.
Dengue counters and wards have been established in government and private hospitals and focal persons assigned to ensure best clinical services to the patients in Islamabad. Around, 8,800 Dengue patients have benefited from free of charge clinical services in twin cities with full recovery.
All major public and private sectors hospitals in twin cities have allocated beds to deal Dengue patients. As on 6th October, 271 patients were still admitted in government, and 105 in private hospitals of Islamabad while 1,079 admitted patients have been successfully treated and discharged.
A total of 652 Dengue patients are currently admitted in different hospitals of Rawalpindi while 71 have been discharged after complete recovery during the last 24 hours.
A task force under the chairmanship of Minister of State for NHSRC is leading response activities and reviews the situation on daily basis for executing the requisite measures.
Subsequent to the meeting co-chaired by the Minister of State for NHSRC and Health Minister Punjab on 27th September, the daily meetings in Ministry of NHSRC are being attended by both teams including senior officials of the Ministry, heads of hospitals, district administration, Sanitation Department and MCI.
The National Institute of Health is providing technical assistance and laboratory support to provinces for ascertaining the circulating serotypes in different geographical zones.
