The climatic change and recent havoc monsoon rain is creating the perfect reproduction ground for Aedes aegypti, the mosquito responsible for transmitting dengue in Karachi. It could be witnessed from the number of death cases reported is 3500 this year.
This mosquito’s favourable environment for breeding is high humidity and temperature, which is perfect to give the chance of breeding and increase in the number at stagnant water. The current weather situation of Karachi is 35 C to 42 C with humidity 64 pc to 66 pc. That’s why climate change may have a role in the increase in dengue cases in Sindh province,” said Dr. Naseer Alam, a pediatric infectious disease specialist in private Hospital.
A survey report conducted by www.sindhclimate.com in this regard, that deaths due to dengue occurred at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), Indus Hospital Karachi, Darul Sehat Hospital, South City Hospital and Liaquat National Hospital.
Many health facilities refused to provide data, while others confirmed that dengue had caused deaths during the last few weeks but sought time to provide the confirmed number of dengue cases and deaths.
The Sindh health department has reported only one death due to dengue viral infection in Karachi, which occurred in District East, although the disease surveillance officials associated with the Sindh Director General Health said that the number of deaths due to dengue reported to them so far was six.
The Indus Hospital administration also confirmed that at least three patients had died of dengue during treatment at their intensive care units, saying the last death occurred on September 6, 2022.
The administration of the South City Hospital also confirmed that there was at least one death at the health facility due to dengue fever last month while officials at the Liaquat National Hospital Karachi said that although there were several deaths among patients infected with dengue fever, the death of at least one young woman could be attributed to dengue shock syndrome.
An official in the Darul Sehat Hospital Karachi confirmed that at least five people had died due to complications of dengue fever at their health facility in Gulistan-e-Jauhar. The official added that there were several patients under treatment for the vector-borne viral infection, some of whom were seriously sick.
The Sindh’s Health Minister Dr. Azhra Pehecho also confirmed the figure of death toll rise in Karachi which is higher 40% as compared to last year.
Since there is no available vaccine and cure yet for dengue, she reminded everyone to seek early consultation for symptoms like fever, severe headache, swollen glands, pain behind the eyes, intense joint and muscle pain, rashes, nausea, and vomiting.