35 more tested positive for dengue fever on Eid days

Rawalpindi : The continuous increase in number of confirmed cases of dengue fever being reported here at the three allied hospitals in town and extensive travelling of individuals from and to the endemic areas of the country during Eid holidays may enhance the risk of a severe dengue fever outbreak in the coming days.

Data collected by ‘The News’ on Thursday has revealed that the three teaching hospitals in town including Holy Family Hospital (HFH), Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) and District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital have tested nearly 35 patients positive for dengue fever during Eid holidays. It is important that a significant proportion of population of the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi left for their native towns to spend Eidul Azha with their relatives and in case of infected travelers or endemic areas, the infection may spread to other districts and as well move to localities in the twin cities.

The epidemiological evidence in past seven years hints that the number of dengue fever cases may sharply increase due to large-scale movement of population arriving from dengue endemic areas to the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

It is worth mentioning here that with the testing of over 30 new cases positive for dengue fever on Eid days, the total number of confirmed patients of dengue fever registered with the allied hospitals has crossed the figure of 100.

To date, the allied hospitals have confirmed as many as 103 cases for dengue fever including 52 cases at HFH, 18 cases at BBH and 33 at DHQ Hospital, said Head of Department of Infectious Diseases at HFH Dr. Muhammad Mujeeb Khan.

As many as 24 patients were undergoing treatment at the allied hospitals on Thursday morning including 22 confirmed patients, seven at HFH, six at BBH and nine at DHQ Hospital. Another alarming fact is that of these 22 patients, 12 are suffering from dengue hemorrhagic fever, a rare form of dengue fever, he said.

It is however important that dengue fever has claimed no life in the region this year so far. The risk of a possible outbreak of dengue fever after Eid cannot be ruled out and in case of travelling of infected persons, the hospitals in the region may receive a significant number of confirmed patients, said District Health Officer Islamabad Dr. Muhammad Najeeb Durrani while talking to ‘The News’ on Thursday.

He added in case the natives bring infection from their hometowns to the twin cities, the local dengue mosquitoes, Aedes Aegypti and Aedes Albopictus, get infected by biting or feeding on these patients arriving from dengue endemic areas and it may transmit the disease further.

Experts, however, say that the most important thing at the time is to create awareness among public and to convince them that they must avoid contact with mosquitoes to protect themselves from dengue fever.