Health scare: Three died of dengue fever in 60 days

Infections sky-rocket in Abbottabad

ABBOTTABAD: The spread of the dengue virus in Abbottabad continues unabated with at least three suspected patients dying of the virus at Ayub Teaching Hospital in Abbottabad over the past
two months.

The number of suspected cases reported to the ATH has sky-rocketed to 103 during this time, including 12 children, 26 women and 65 men.

According to officials at the hospital, infections seem to be concentrated in the Mansehra and Abbottabad areas which have reported 57 and 35 cases respectively. A further five cases from Battagram, and two each from Kohistan and Haripur districts have also been reported.

Health officials said all patients reported to the hospital carried the usual symptoms including high fever, orbital pain, nausea and low platelet count.

Despite the symptoms, officials said that blood samples have been sent to National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad to confirm the dengue infection with the results still awaited.

Doctors said that of the patients who died apparently from dengue, one hailed from Battagram and two from Mansehra. At least eight patients, including two women are currently receiving treatment at the hospital.

Medical officer Dr Imran told The Express Tribune that there are no NIH-style arrangements at divisional level to test the blood for dengue virus which caused a delay in reports creating confusion for both patients and medical staff.

Last year, the ATH received at least 200 suspected dengue patients from August to September while five deaths were reported from Hazara.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 1^st, 2016.