The deceased patients – Safia, 45, and Ali Zaman, 55 – fell ill with high fever and body ache a few days ago.
Two patients, including a woman, suspected to be infected with dengue have died in Haripur. However, health authorities on Saturday denied they were dengue patients.
According to Shakil, a resident of Mangloor Colony in Sera-e-Nehmat Khan, his wife Safia, 45, suffered from high fever and body ache a few days ago. Shakil said he took her to a private hospital and then a basic health unit (BHU) where doctors gave her medicines and advised bed rest. However, Safia could not recover and died on Friday evening.
Shakil added he had his wife’s blood sample tested from a private lab and the reports indicated she was infected with dengue virus.
Meanwhile, another death suspected to be caused by dengue was reported from Behra village. The family of Ali Zaman, 55, said he contracted dengue a few days ahead of Eidul Azha. According to Zaman’s brother Nawaz, his symptoms were similar to those of a dengue patient. He had been suffering from high fever and body ache, said Nawaz.
The deceased’s brother added Zaman had been under treatment at a local private hospital where the doctors had also said he was suffering from dengue.
On the other hand, Deputy District Health Officer Dr Bilal said none of the deceased had been brought to District Headquarters Hospital. He said they had neither tested positive for dengue in any government facility nor had they died at any government-run facility, thus, it would be premature to call them dengue victims in the absence of any official report.
Dr Bilal insisted not a single dengue positive case from Haripur had been confirmed yet by the National Institute of Health, Islamabad.
Swat
Two more dengue patients died in Swat on Saturday taking the unofficial death toll to 58. The District Health Office confirmed the official toll to be 37.
According to Saidu Teaching Hospital (STH) Spokesperson Dr Wasil Ahmad, 35 new patients were admitted to the hospital on Saturday, out of which 17 are under treatment in the intensive care unit due to their critical condition.
Shangla
The number of dengue infected patients reached 780 in Shangla on Saturday after 43 new cases were confirmed in Bisham.
Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, Bisham Medical Superintendent Dr Mansoor said among the 43 new patients, many are from Kohistan and Battagram.
He explained the hospital’s laboratory is closed after 2pm forcing patients to go to private labs for tests.
Sher Ali, a patient, complained the hospital lacked facilities like canulas, drips and stands and they had to buy them from outside despite the government’s claim of free treatment.
A THQ Hospital, Bisham doctor said due to the shortage of specialist doctors, the medical staff remains unable to cope with the increasing number of patients.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 20th, 2013.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ