News
Monday, September 26, 2011
Dengue may escalate in Karachi next month: experts* Virus claims five lives during ongoing year in Karachi
By Haris Hanif
KARACHI: Health experts on Sunday expressed fears that dengue may intensify and show its real face in Karachi next month after wreaking havoc in Lahore.
Dr Saqib Ansari, a renowned haematologist and Umair Sana Foundation (USF)’s general secretary said that in perspective of Karachi’s weather it has been observed that the dengue virus spreads after August and deepens with the passage of time. It starts shrinking in December and lasts till January.
Referring to his research, he said that the virus remains on its peak for two to three years in a particular area and after some let-up, returns with its previous intensity. October would be the worst month as far as dengue viral fever is concerned as weather and climatic conditions would be excellent for the breeding of aedes aegypti and aedes albopictus species of mosquitoes that inject dengue virus into humans, he added.
Dr Ansari said the authorities concerned should consult experts who experience dengue and tackle it in Karachi rather than relying on foreign experts by expending ample amount.
Fortunately, Karachi is safe from the dengue outbreak thus far as compared to past years as it has travelled to Lahore this year for showing its hazardousness. The virus has claimed five lives during the ongoing year and all of them hailed from Karachi, however, no death has been reported from rest of the Sindh.
15 to 20 cases of dengue are being reported on daily basis from Karachi which are likely to double in the coming weeks.
Nevertheless, the actual dengue infected cases would be more than the reported cases as people being treated in their localities and are missed by Sindh Surveillance Dengue Cell. The cell releases its dengue report on daily basis after collecting data from various government and private hospitals.
As many as 50 patients with dengue fever were admitted at various hospitals of the city while 12 are admitted in hospitals elsewhere in the province.
Experts monitoring the dengue viral fever in the province for the last many years were of the view that Karachi is one month behind Lahore in climatic conditions that proved excellent for the breeding of mosquitoes that spread the dengue virus among humans.
They noted the remaining days of the current month is the only time available for the authorities and people to eradicate the breeding places for mosquitoes or the situation could get worse or equally worse as in Lahore. Administrator Husaini Haemotology and Oncology Trust Dr Sarfaraz Jafry said the demand of platelets have risen during past days which indicates that the virus is spreading in the city.
He, however, said that preparation was not seen as taken in last year to cope with dengue. Mentioning his trust role in Lahore during dengue, he appealed people to donate platelets to save lives of other people. Director Dow Lab Diagnostic Reference and Research Laboratory Dr Muhammad Rafiq Khanani said the increase of dengue would depend on winter if it approaches early the dengue would breathe its last early if the winter approach late the dengue could intensify. He said the mosquito of dengue does not survive below the temperature of 25 degree centigrade.
Dr Khanani said dengue mosquito does not fly far, adding that if dengue breads in an area there are chances that it may affect more and more people living in that area. He said in 90 percent cases someone bitten by dengue recovers very early while in 10 percent cases it goes severe needing intensive treatment.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk