LAHORE: Proliferation of dengue virus has become dangerously alarming due to recent rains and flood. To confront the situation, the government will have to take solid steps to contain the virus and the people of Pakistan will have to work hand-in-hand with the government to do so.
These views were expressed Dr Yasir Hussain, Consultant Infectious Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in a meeting with media persons. He further stated, accumulation of rainwater in the ongoing monsoon in residential areas, negligence in the cleanliness by the administration and public and the unhygienic living results plentiful growth of dengue mosquitoes. Especially, the number of mosquitoes becomes manifold in the month of August, September and October in our region. With the growing trend of global travelling and trading, the dengue virus has spread profusely in more than hundred countries and mainly in South Asia.–PR

He said, like malaria, dengue virus is transmitted through mosquitoes. The symptoms of dengue virus appear after five to seven days of mosquito bite. High fever, joints pain, headache are the common symptoms, while in acute cases the blood vessels become weak and the blood starts bleeding from different parts of the body.
Dr Yasir said that the infants, old people and the persons under different kind of medication are more at risk from dengue due to their weaker immune systems.