By Sardar Khan Niazi
Dengue fever continues to be a public health menace and a threat. Dengue is one of the most rapidly spreading mosquito-borne viral diseases. Presently, the situation appears far more critical in the country.
A fresh wave of panic has gripped Pakistan. Less than a month after Rawalpindi had issued a public health red alert in the wake of 60 dengue cases surfacing overnight, deadly mosquitos are busy making rounds in all corners of the country.
Dengue is not only surging in flooded areas, it is making its presence felt in other cities and towns too. Over 100 dengue patients landed in three government-run hospitals in Rawalpindi alone on Sept 12. Most of them belong to this district but some have also come from other nearby districts such as Abbottabad, Attock, Haripur, and Mansehra.
Dengue virus cases are surging across the country amid reports of deaths due to the virus. Dengue fever is already claiming lives and cases are increasing by the day.
The first confirmed outbreak of dengue fever in Pakistan was in 1994, but a sudden rise in cases and the annual epidemic trend first occurred in Karachi in November 2005.
Since 2010, Pakistan has been experiencing an epidemic of dengue fever that has caused 16 580 confirmed cases and 257 deaths in Lahore and nearly 5000 cases and 60 deaths reported in the rest of the country. The three provinces facing the epidemic are Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh.
Dengue fever is a year-round and nationwide risk in Pakistan. Authorities reported 3,442 dengue fever cases in Pakistan in 2017, more than 3,200 in 2018, almost 24,547 in 2019, and 3,442 cases in 2020.
It is worth mentioning here that a major outbreak of dengue occurred in 2019 after weeks of heavy and nonstop rainfall. With similar conditions in 2022, the threat of another major outbreak is on the way.
The most severe outbreak, though, seems to be in flood-hit areas as dengue is a vector-borne viral disease that thrives on stagnant water. Thousands of patients are reporting daily as the disease is tightening its grip on the country. Though deaths from dengue are low, its effect on families and patients themselves is damaging.
It starts with flu-like symbols and then develops as a much more risky attack. Dengue controlling itself should be the main concern of the health department and relief agencies. The disease is controllable but it gets worse when people are unable or reluctant to drink and eat sufficiently.
Timely medical intervention is of vital significance so that things do not go out of control. A worst case of dengue may also require a blood transfusion, which is barely possible in flood-hit areas.
The federal and provincial governments must make sure that all required medicines are available in the market in adequate quantities. Unfortunately, our health infrastructure’s planned fumigation drive to eliminate mosquito populations is weak.
Transmission of dengue fever occurs through the bite of an infected mosquito. Symptoms of dengue fever include a sudden onset of fever and at least one of the following: severe headache, severe pain behind the eyes, muscle and/or joint pain, rash, easy bruising, and/or nose or gum bleeding.
Symptoms typically appear 5-7 days after being bitten but can develop up to 10 days after exposure. Dengue fever can progress to a more severe form known as dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). DHF can be fatal if it is not recognized and treated in a timely manner.
If previously infected with dengue fever, consult your physician regarding vaccination. Avoid mosquito bites and remove standing water to reduce the number of biting mosquitoes.
Seek medical attention if symptoms develop within two weeks of being in affected areas.
