Effective measures?: Dengue fever loses sting in K-P

Resurfaces in much milder form this year, say authorities.

SWAT/ PESHAWAR:

After claiming scores of lives last year, the dengue fever returned to the province in a much milder form. No death has been reported from dengue so far this year, giving the impression that measures taken to combat the potentially deadly fever have been somewhat effective.

Authorities in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa have recorded 115 cases in the current dengue season. The figure is a sharp decline from last year, when around 700 people were diagnosed with the virus from the start of the season till the end of August.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Malaria Control Program Coordinator, Dr Khalid Khan, said that according to the data available with them, 98% of the 115 cases reported across the province were from Swat.

Dr Khan said 70% of the confirmed cases were tested by the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad. He added that three patients were admitted to Saidu Teaching Hospital in Swat, while a fourth was brought to Matta Hospital over the last 24 hours.

Moreover, two patients, both from Amankot in Skha Cheena, tested positive while the samples of a third suspected case were sent to NIH on Saturday.

Skha Cheena has been the most affected area, with 95% of the cases in Swat reported from the area, explained Dr Khan. He said people lack access to clean drinking water there, because of which the tehsil municipal administration provided water tanks to locals. The water tanks, however, turned into breeding grounds for dengue mosquito. He advised residents of the area to stop storing water at home.

The coordinator said the anti-dengue campaign in Swat had proved effective as teams were spraying various areas, apart from creating awareness by going door-to-door. He added that banners and billboards had been put up and pamphlets were distributed throughout the province. Dr Khan also pointed out that special wards have been set up at the STH in Swat to combat the fever.

“The virus is so mild that many patients are discharged after recovering within two or three days,” Iqbal Khan, a medical practitioner at STH told The Express Tribune.

According to the K-P Health Department’s data, over 11,600 people were affected by dengue fever in K-P in 2013. Out of these cases, 9,000 were from Swat alone and, according to official figures, nearly 40 people from the district succumbed to the virus. However, unofficial estimates suggest the number could be over 60.

District-wise, the number of confirmed cases in Abbottabad were 57, Buner 26, Lower Dir 363, Mardan 344, Mansehra 210, Malakand 479, Swat 9,037 and 1,116 in Shangla.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 31^st, 2014.