Chikungunya rings warning bells in Karachi

As a province with an ailing public healthcare system, the number of seasonal epidemics hitting Sindh on a regular basis is alarming to say the least. From diarrhoea and typhoid to dengue, malaria and now chikungunya, local's in the port city must always remain prepared for yet another outbreak.

Muhammad Asif, a patient of chikungunya, revealed that he had first developed a fever, alongside a bitter taste in his mouth and burning pain in his hands and feet. "When I reached the nearest hospital, the doctors, upon looking at the symptoms, diagnosed it as chikungunya. They gave me medicines for pain and fever while advising me to rest at home. During this time, I was unable to walk due to pain and could not work either," shared Asif.

Similarly, Sadia Khatun, another chikungunya patient disclosed that two of her children too had acquired the disease. "We were unable to walk for several days. The disease is spreading due to the lack of timely fogging which has allowed the number of mosquitos to grow," complained Khatun, who blamed the government for its failure to take the outbreak seriously.

According to Dr Shoaib Khan, General Physician at a private hospital in Nazimabad, at present, a large number of people in the city were suffering from chikungunya however, the high cost of its test had prevented patients from getting a proper diagnosis and hence the data could not be compiled. "Most government hospitals do not have a testing facility while poor sanitation and lack of fogging is causing the outbreak to intensify in Karachi," claimed Dr Khan.

According to data received from major government hospitals across the city, approximately 500 to 750 suspected patients of chikungunya are being reported on a daily basis, with the majority diagnosed on the complaint of fever and knee pain, the two most conspicuous symptoms of the disease.

"Chikungunya disease is diagnosed through the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, which is available at a few private hospitals, that too for Rs7,000 to Rs8,000, which is unaffordable for the masses. Therefore, government hospitals are diagnosing patients with the disease based on symptoms only. Accurate data on chikungunya will not come out until the diagnostic tests are done in laboratories.

Chikungunya and dengue both are expected to continue with their severity till December," said Dr Abdul Wahid Rajput, Director of the Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital and Research Centre.

Professor Saeed Khan, Head of Molecular Pathology at the Dow University of Health Sciences, shed light on the fact that chikungunya was a viral infection that spread through the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitos. "Apart from fever and joint pain, red spots may also appear on the body. After the monsoon season, there are chances of this virus spreading therefore, citizens should wear protective clothing and close the windows and doors of their homes. Most importantly, the municipal authorities must ensure that streets are kept clean, and water does not accumulate anywhere. Arrangements should also be made to drain water from ponds after a rain spell. We should plan for this throughout the year," urged Khan.

Speaking to the Express Tribune on the matter, Dr Mushtaq Shah, Head of Vector-borne Diseases at the Health Department of Sindh, confirmed that chikungunya cases were increasing more compared to cases of the dengue virus. "The recovery period is usually one to 10 days. The highest number of cases are being reported from the Eastern, Central and South districts of Karachi. So far, 153 cases of chikungunya have been reported after PCR test confirmation. There are almost 900 mosquito hotspots across seven districts in Karachi. It is the responsibility of the District Health Officers to carry out fogging to eradicate mosquitoes," asserted Dr Shah.