Jaundice claims two lives in Rahim Yar Khan

Another patient in critical condition is being treated at the facility

RAHIM YAR KHAN:  

At least two people died due to jaundice, while another suffering from the disease was admitted to Sheikh Zayed Hospital over the past 24 hours in Rahim Yar Khan.

The total number of casualties since the outbreak has crossed 110, data collected by Express News showed.

Health officials at Sheikh Zayed Hospital said that 45-year-old Haseena Bibi and 55-year-old Wazir Ali were admitted to the health facility after suffering from jaundice. However, their condition continued to deteriorate and they later died at the facility.

The bodies of the victims were handed over to their families after completing legal formalities. Meanwhile, another patient infected with jaundice was also admitted to the hospital. The patient was identified as 60-year-old Imam Din. Doctors said that the condition of the victim was critical.

The jaundice epidemic hit Rahim Yar Khan earlier in May and has resulted in the deaths of more than 100 patients, including children. However, the government has failed to counter the situation effectively. Most government-run hospitals lack adequate facilities and medicines to treat such patients.

Earlier, health experts told Express News that arsenic contamination of underground water, reusing syringes, pollution and a lack of water filtration plants play a role in spreading this deadly disease. They added that raising awareness and concerted measures regarding prevention could help overcome the outbreak.

They revealed that a second reason was the lack of a filtration plant in 90% of the district, forcing the local population to consume arsenic contaminated water.

Jaundice is a yellow discoloration of the skin, mucous membranes, and the whites of the eyes caused by increased amounts of bilirubin in the blood. The disease mainly affects the liver. Jaundice is a sign of an underlying disease process.

Bilirubin is a by-product of the daily natural breakdown and destruction of red blood cells in the body. The hemoglobin molecule that is released into the blood by this process is split, with the heme portion undergoing a chemical conversion to bilirubin.

Normally, the liver metabolizes and excretes the bilirubin in the form of bile. However, if there is a disruption in this normal metabolism and/or production of bilirubin, jaundice may result.