Case load: Dealing with dengue

2 more cases of virus reported by Nishtar Hospital officials.

MULTAN:

Two further cases of the dengue virus have been reported in Multan on Friday. According to Health Department officials, Nishtar Hospital doctors have confirmed two cases of the dengue virus at the hospital.

Both patients were transferred to Multan from Lahore two days ago. Multan’s Androon Bohar Gate resident 35-year-old Nasreen and Gulgasht resident 26-year-old Waqar Ahmed were admitted to the hospital with fever. “Both the patients presented with high fever and were screened for dengue. The blood tests revealed both men testing positive. They have been sent to an isolation ward,” Nishtar Hospital Dr Shahram Khalid said.  “We have called in the families of both men from Lahore,” he added. Hospital officials said that they were anticipating more cases in the district. “The monsoon season has meant that there are lots of fresh pools of water all over the district and we are telling everyone we can to take precautions,” said a nurse Amina Maqbool. “Everyone should use a mosquito repellent and use mosquito coils. The virus has been spreading in neighboring districts and we do not have enough vaccines as yet. We have requested an additional supply of the vaccine from Lahore,” she said.





Published in The Express Tribune, August 20^th, 2011.