Respiratory diseases are seeing an alarming rise in the city, with the majority of cases being reported as Influenza H1N1. Medical experts have advised citizens to wear masks.
An emergency department doctor at Jinnah Hospital Dr Irfan Siddiqui has said that the vaccine against H1N1 influenza is not available at Jinnah Hospital, causing difficulties for patients. He mentioned that both OPD and emergency departments at the hospital are receiving increasing number of patients with Influenza H1N1. However, the government has not yet provided vaccines, which are typically imported from abroad. Consequently, the patients are forced to buy them at their own expense.
According to Dr Siddiqui, a separate ward for H1N1 influenza virus has not been set up, as it is not currently considered a high-risk disease. However, patients with pre-existing life-threatening conditions who contract H1N1 may require admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for close monitoring and treatment. Influenza H1N1 disproportionately affects children under five years of age, adults over 65 years old, and pregnant women. If left untreated, this disease can spread rapidly within these groups and potentially develop into pneumonia.
Dr Irfan urged citizens to take precautionary measures and seek timely treatment, maintaining that it is crucial for people to adopt preventive measures and get treated promptly.
On the other hand, an expert in infectious diseases Professor Saeed Khan, while talking to The Express Tribune, said that respiratory diseases increase during the winter season. There are four main types of influenza, with A and B being the most common, and various subtypes. Monitoring has revealed that the majority of reported cases are of the H1N1 subtype of Influenza A.
Professor Saeed emphasised that the influenza vaccine is available to safeguard against the disease, and getting vaccinated on time can effectively prevent it. He stressed the importance of vaccination in preventing the spread of influenza.
According to the data released by the Sindh Health Department, 248 cases of respiratory diseases have been reported in Karachi in the first one and a half month of the year, with 119 positive cases of H1N1.
The Sindh Health Department has issued a letter regarding H1N1, directing hospital administrations to ensure the provision of protective kits to staff, and to take precautions such as wearing masks and maintaining social distance.
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