Mosquito bites: Dengue kills one in Holy Family Hospital

Man dies after suffering from high fever and headache; NIH confirmed him to have been carrying the virus.

RAWALPINDI:

The medical report of a man who died of high fever on Friday at Holy Family Hospital (HFH) confirmed he was suffering from dengue fever.

Ameer Hussain 52, a native of Nowshera cantonment, was brought to the HFH a week ago with symptoms of high fever and headache. His blood samples were sent to the National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad for testing.

“We received a positive report from NIH on Saturday after Hussain died on Friday in the isolation ward of the hospital,” Deputy Medical Superintendent (DMS) Dr Javaid Hayat, the focal person for dengue at Holy Family, confirmed.

The hospital official said Ameer was first brought to a private hospital in Islamabad on August 1 and was referred to HFH after his condition deteriorated. Another young boy from Rawalpindi cantonment was admitted to HFH. His blood samples came positive for the virus.

Noman Zakria, 13, from Misrial Road, was rushed to the hospital with high fever and headache, and admitted to the isolation ward. Four other patients with symptoms consistent with dengue are also admitted in HFH. The hospital administration said they will send their blood samples to NIH for testing.

Benazir Bhutto Hospital also received two patients with high fever, but their medical reports came back negative for dengue, according to hospital sources.

Executive District Officer Public Health Dr Zaffar Gondal said they have made arrangements to examine the areas patients were coming from.

A fumigation drive is also being launched to clean the city from mosquitoes. The EDO said rural areas most susceptible to dengue were being identified and sprayed to minimise risks of a dengue outbreak.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 14^th, 2011.