355 of the approximately 3,000 tests that were performed at Civil Hospital Karachi alone in the first ten days of October were determined to be positive. According to reports, the Hyderabad commissioner stated more recently on Wednesday that 1,258 dengue tests had produced 587 positive cases and that 30 dengue hotspots had been found in the Hyderabad Division. If the numbers being reported from Karachi and Hyderabad are true, it is hard to see how they match up with the provincial government’s numbers. The fact that the numbers from different authorities do not add up is almost as alarming for public health as the spread of dengue itself. Rainfall during the monsoon season causes floods and standing water. This ultimately results in a large number of mosquitoes, which carry sickness. In Pakistan, the monsoon season brings dengue and malaria, which is as near to an iron rule as it gets.
This is especially true with regard to Karachi and Sindh. According to the Sindh Health Department’s most recent report on confirmed dengue cases in the province, which was made public on Sunday, 439 new cases have been registered in October. With 188 instances reported, Karachi is the most impacted division, followed by Hyderabad with 154 cases. Government data, according to some sources, is understating the severity of the dengue outbreak. But regardless of who is correct, one thing is certain: hundreds of individuals in densely populated urban areas are still at risk from dengue. Urban areas’ inadequate waste management and infrastructure contribute to a crisis that can be prevented or at least lessened, just like it does during rainy seasons.
Experts have long identified a number of variables that contribute to dengue infections, including stagnant water, unsanitary residential areas, and a lack of public understanding regarding preventive measures. However, there appears to be little progress in resolving these problems. More hospital beds, fumigation operations, dengue units, and tests are what we see instead. Despite their importance, these actions are reactive and only address the problem’s symptoms. Does that sound familiar? Every crisis in the nation is handled similarly, whether it be a natural disaster or a public health emergency. Only after an issue arises and is dealt with right away is it handled. The problem recurs at the same time each year because the deeper structural problems are not addressed when the current crisis is gone. People in the nation suffer needlessly as a result, and they will until the way catastrophe or crisis management is approached changes. The long-term problems must be addressed first. Better waste management, year-round fumigation rather than just when the epidemic begins, adequate cleanliness in every residential area, and rubbish removal from drains to prevent choking and mosquito breeding grounds are all necessary in the case of dengue.
Public Health under Threat
Published: November 1, 2025 | Updated 1 day ago
Public Health under Threat
Published: November 1, 2025 | Updated 1 day ago
355 of the approximately 3,000 tests that were performed at Civil Hospital Karachi alone in the first ten days of October were determined to be positive. According to reports, the Hyderabad commissioner stated more recently on Wednesday that 1,258 dengue tests had produced 587 positive cases and that 30 dengue hotspots had been found in the Hyderabad Division. If the numbers being reported from Karachi and Hyderabad are true, it is hard to see how they match up with the provincial government’s numbers. The fact that the numbers from different authorities do not add up is almost as alarming for public health as the spread of dengue itself. Rainfall during the monsoon season causes floods and standing water. This ultimately results in a large number of mosquitoes, which carry sickness. In Pakistan, the monsoon season brings dengue and malaria, which is as near to an iron rule as it gets.
This is especially true with regard to Karachi and Sindh. According to the Sindh Health Department’s most recent report on confirmed dengue cases in the province, which was made public on Sunday, 439 new cases have been registered in October. With 188 instances reported, Karachi is the most impacted division, followed by Hyderabad with 154 cases. Government data, according to some sources, is understating the severity of the dengue outbreak. But regardless of who is correct, one thing is certain: hundreds of individuals in densely populated urban areas are still at risk from dengue. Urban areas’ inadequate waste management and infrastructure contribute to a crisis that can be prevented or at least lessened, just like it does during rainy seasons.
Experts have long identified a number of variables that contribute to dengue infections, including stagnant water, unsanitary residential areas, and a lack of public understanding regarding preventive measures. However, there appears to be little progress in resolving these problems. More hospital beds, fumigation operations, dengue units, and tests are what we see instead. Despite their importance, these actions are reactive and only address the problem’s symptoms. Does that sound familiar? Every crisis in the nation is handled similarly, whether it be a natural disaster or a public health emergency. Only after an issue arises and is dealt with right away is it handled. The problem recurs at the same time each year because the deeper structural problems are not addressed when the current crisis is gone. People in the nation suffer needlessly as a result, and they will until the way catastrophe or crisis management is approached changes. The long-term problems must be addressed first. Better waste management, year-round fumigation rather than just when the epidemic begins, adequate cleanliness in every residential area, and rubbish removal from drains to prevent choking and mosquito breeding grounds are all necessary in the case of dengue.