Dengue fever outbreak gets intense

Rawalpindi: The dengue fever outbreak that has already hit population in various localities in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi is getting more and more intense with the passage of every day as within last one week, as many as 310 more patients have been tested positive for dengue fever at the three allied hospitals taking the total number of confirmed patients of the infection so far reported at the allied hospitals to 560.

Data collected by ‘The News’ on Thursday, the three teaching hospitals in town including Holy Family Hospital, Benazir Bhutto Hospital and District Headquarters Hospital have confirmed as many as 36 patients positive for dengue fever within last 24 hours.

Data reveals that the situation regarding spread of the infection is becoming more and more intense as compared to the number of dengue fever patients being registered at the allied hospitals before the 4th week of August this year. The allied hospitals received a total of 250 dengue fever patients from July 1 to August 22 this year but the number has crossed the figure of 560 in just one week.

On Thursday, as many as 192 patients of dengue fever including 126 confirmed patients were undergoing treatment at the three allied hospitals in town.

To date, the HFH has received 265 confirmed patients of dengue fever while 163 confirmed patients reached BBH. The DHQ Hospital received the least number of confirmed patients this year which is 132.

It is important that the dengue fever outbreak has hit population in this region of the country too early and it is being expected that the public sector hospitals may receive thousands of more confirmed patients of the infection in the coming weeks if the concerned government authorities fail to control the spread of dengue fever.

The weather conditions in the region remain suitable for spread of the infection and for growth of ‘aedes aegypti’, the mosquito that causes dengue fever till the middle of November and according to many health experts, the fact makes the existing situation more alarming.

The continuous rise in number of cases of dengue fever reaching allied hospitals hints that the concerned government authorities have failed in checking spread of the infection in this region of the country though ‘dignitaries’ including local and national level politicians along with officials from the health ministry have started paying visits to the allied hospitals for monitoring of treatment facilities.