614 patients reported at HFH with notifiable infectious diseases

Rawalpindi: The Department of Infectious Diseases (DID) at Holy Family Hospital here in town has received as many as 614 patients including suspected and confirmed ones with notifiable infectious diseases since January 1 to date this year.

Data collected by ‘The News’ on Friday has revealed that of the 614 patients listed by the DID as cases of notifiable diseases, only two patients died at the hospital after developing rabies in result of dog-bite.

So far in 2018, as many as 351 patients were received at dengue outpatients department at the hospital of which 319 were suspected as patients of dengue fever though only three were confirmed positive after dengue serology, through NS1 test while 29 came out to be negative for the infection.

This year, the number of patients with measles remained high as the DID at HFH has so far received as many as 161 patients with the disease. Notifiable diseases are those which are required to be reported to government authorities so that the authorities can monitor the spread of the disease and can issue warning for possible outbreaks.

The HFH received a total of 79 patients of influenza A H1N1 this year of which 33 were tested positive for the disease while 46 negative, said Head of DID Dr. Muhammad Mujeeb Khan while talking to ‘The News’ on Friday.

He said a total of seven patients reached hospital with tetanus of which six were discharged after treatment while one left hospital against medical advice (LAMA).

A total of five patients with Diphtheria reached hospital so far in this year, he said. He added three of them have already been tested negative for the disease while result in one case is being awaited by the DID.

The HFH received two suspected patients of Congo Crimean Haemorrhagic Fever this year though both the patients were tested negative for the deadly infection and were discharged after achieving complete cure, said Dr. Mujeeb.

Similarly a total of six patients reached HFJH with signs and symptoms of Chicken Pox but all the six patients were tested negative for the disease, he said.

The HFH received a total of three patients as suspects of rabies of which two died at the hospital after developing rabies while one was discharged after management as he did not develop rabies.