Mahrukh Rajput
Pakistan is going through many sudden calamities, among which dengue is on top after Malaria and Corona. As weather conditions change in Pakistan, the rate of dengue increases alarmingly over the land. According to a warning issued by the Met department, the current weather conditions in the country mean that a dengue outbreak is on the horizon, specially in 10 cities. These include Karachi, Lahore, Gujranwala, Peshawar and Rawalpindi-Islamabad.
Dengue Proving increasingly lethal in Punjab :
According to data released by the Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department showed that the three fatalities raised the total recorded death toll during the year to 21 and the Province 41 deaths. Besides Lahore, at least four deaths have been confirmed in Gujranwala, two in Multan and one each in Sahiwal and Gujrat districts. Meanwhile, at least 168 new dengue patients were confirmed in Punjab, including 69 in Lahore, 32 in Multan, 17 in Gujranwala and 9 in Faisalabad.
The officials said the dengue situation during past month had been alarming, as evident from the spike in the death toll.” Lahore, Rawalpindi and Gujranwala proved to be high risk districts last month but now Multan and Faisalabad are also on the list”, he added.
Sindh is Suffering from Intolerable Agony of Dengue :
Sindh’s infrastructure is already weak and it is already suffering from poor health conditions. Moreover, calamities like dengue have made the situation worse. According to figures published in media, Sindh has logged in over 7000 cases. Hospitals in Karachi, for example are reportedly flooded with patients, while some public health institutions in the city have apparently stopped admitting dengue cases. As per provincial health department statistics, 39 people contracted dengue virus in Karachi during the last 24 hours.
Acoording to the data of the Sindh Health department, a total of 104 cases were reported across the province in 24 hours. 38 cases have been reported from Hyderabad, 3 from Jamshoro, 4 from Tharparkar, 9 from Umarkot, 2 from Mirpur Khas and 9 cases in Sukkur were reported. Data reveals that, 1903 people have been infected in the Province this month, after which the number of cases this year has increased to 20,974 while the number of deaths has increased to 60.
Devastating effects of Dengue in KPK and Balochistan :
Even KPK and Balochistan could not escape from the scourge of dengue. Officials said that with the 81 new cases in Peshawar, the total number of dengue patients in the province reached 9,892, the officials said that total number of dengue deaths in the province remained at 9 while a total of 69 dengue patients are being treated in hospitals. Not only in KPK but also in Balochistan, 4000 cases of dengue has reported over the past five months. Most of the cases were reported from the Lasbela, Kech, Gwadar and Panjgur districts of Balochistan.
Balochistan, like the rest of the country, received unusually heavy rainfall this moonsoon due to climate change. Most areas of the province were flooded and the stagnant floodwater provided a large surface area for mosquitoes to breed.
The Rising toll of Dengue cases in Islamabad-Rawalpindi :
Not only in provinces of Pakistan, but also in the capital, dengue has strengthened its claws. According to a document, during current season 1628 cases have been reported from the rural areas and 1,131 from urban areas of Islamabad. Two people each died in Tarlai and Rawat and each in F-7 and I-8. During the last 24 hours, 37 cases were reported by private labs and 18 by Pakistan Institute of Medical Science (PIMS). Moreover, 13 cases were reported by the Federal General Hospital in Chak Shahzad.
Symptoms and Risk Factors :
Dengue is a viral infection transmitted to human through the bite of an infected mosquitoes ( Ae-aegypti). Dengue is found in trophical and sub-trophical climates worldwide. The dengue mosquito lays its eggs in water-filled containers inside the house and surrounding areas of dwellings. If we talk about dengue symptoms then its major symptoms include high fever (104°F/40°C), along with Rash, Intense pain behind the eyes, Nausea or vomiting and Muscles, bones and joints pain. These symptoms start to appear within ten days after a mosquito bite. If dengue fever is not treated properly, it becomes severe and can be fatal. Severe dengue is a medical emergency and its symptoms include stomach/abdominal pain, frequent vomiting, throwing up blood, nose bleeds or bleeding gums, extreme tiredness and restlessness or irritability.
Remedial Measures :
Dengue is a dangerous infection and must be controlled as soon as possible. According to Dr. Saeed Khan, a professor of molecular pathology heading the Sindh Public Health Lab at the Dow University of Health Science (DUHS) “ Early arrival of cold dry weather would Definitely help in improving the situation. The month of December would see a significant reduction in the number of dengue fever cases”. Floods are the major cause of dengue outbreaks as waterlogging in many areas has led to the spread and breeding of dengue.
According to Dr. Abdul. Wahid Rajput , Medical Superintendent of the SIDHRC, “ Dengue cases would likely go down in December as there was no likelihood of rain and water was being drained in different areas”. The next most important thing is that the government should direct all the districts administrators to ensure anti-dengue spray in all localities. In addition to this, create awareness among people about prevention and control of dengue and provide complete treatment facilities to dengue affected people.
According to WHO, vaccine is not an effective tool on its own to reduce dengue, but there are some Precautionary measures that may help to reduce the risk of mosquito bites. For example, stay in air-conditioned or well-screened housing, wear protective clothing whenever you go into mosquito-infested areas, use mosquito repellent ( Permethrin can be applied to your clothing, shoes and bed netting. For skin, use a repellent containing al least a 10% concentration of DEET) and reduce mosquito habitat etc.
It is gratifying that Pakistan’s Emergency Plan of Action (EPoA): Dengue Response is currently being enacted to curtail dengue vector control. The project aims to limit the spread of vector transmission and develop prevention measures among vulnerable groups by providing long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs), mosquito repellent, spraying and fumigating mosquito breeding area while raising community and educational awareness. It is well hoped that Pakistan will soon overcome the scourge of dengue.
The Writer is an Economist and student of LLB and you can reach her at mahrukhrajput8@gmail.com”