KARACHI - New deaths of dengue fever have taken the death toll to 26 in Sindh, while 24 deaths in Karachi only countering claims of the provincial government.
As many as 26 deaths have been reported in the province, out of them 24 reported in the metropolis and two in Hyderabad City. The Provincial Dengue Surveillance Cell on Saturday confirmed that the recent death, of a 65 year old male resident of Orangi Town was reported on November 09, while the patient was admitted to a private hospital on November 06, 2013 and died on November 07.
According to report, issued by Sindh Dengue Surveillance Cell, a total of 4227 cases have been reported in the province, out of which 3661 reported in Karachi, 528 reported in Hyderabad, one in Badin, two in Larkana, two in Dadu, nine in Jamshoro, two in Kambar, one in Khairpur, one in Mirpur Khas, one in Nausheroferoz, three in Shikarpur, two in Sanghar, four in Sukkur, one in Tharparkar, six in Thatta, one in Umerkot and two in Kashmore.
As many as 566 total cases were reported from interior Sindh.
Despite directives of Sindh Government, the provincial health department seems helpless in front of the disease. Sindh Education Department has already claimed that it had made good arrangements for the treatment of dengue.
Talking to The Nation, a Bangladeshi scientist, Prof Nurul Kabir, working at Dr Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD), Karachi University (KU), said that dengue has become the dilemma of the world as the incidence of dengue has grown dramatically around the world in recent decades; some 2.5 billion people, two-fifths of the world’s population, are now at risk from dengue.
He said that Pakistani government is needed to take some concrete steps in all four provinces of the country towards eradication of dengue fever causing mosquitoes usually live between the latitudes of 35 North and 35 South below an elevation of 1,000 metres (3,300 ft).
PUNJAB numbers: The menace of dengue continued to haunt people as 94 more were tested positive for the deadly virus on Saturday, taking the number of confirmed cases in the province to 1443. Out of 94 new cases, 54 were reported from Lahore, 37 from Rawalpindi and one each from Sialkot, Bahawalnagar and Kasur.
On the reports of special inspection teams, Punjab Healthcare Commission has expressed satisfaction over arrangements for diagnosis and treatment of dengue patients at public sector and private hospitals in the province.
The Commission appreciated contribution of private hospitals and family physicians in treatment and control of dengue, and has emphasised the need to strengthen interaction between the Government and the private sector.
Meanwhile, Punjab Health Minister Khalil Tahir Sandhu visited Doctors Hospital in Johar Town and private hospitals on Bedian Road to check treatment facilities for dengue patients. He visited different blocks to check cleanliness arrangements. He urged the administration to ensure cleanliness in the premises.
Chairman Town Emergency Response Committee on Dengue MNA Mehr Ishtiaq Ahmed chaired a meeting regarding eradication of dengue at Samanabad Town. Secretary Education Abdul Jabbar Shaheen, officers of Town and other concerned departments were present on the occasion.
Mehr Ishtiaq said that IRS and fogging has also been carried out in all Imam Bargahs, bus stands and buses in Samanabad Town. He directed surveillance teams to especially re-check all houses where larvae was detected. If larvae was found twice, cases should be registered against the owners of the houses under anti-dengue laws. He stressed officials of Social Welfare Department to create awareness among housewives for eradication and precautionary measures.