Dengue raises its ugly head in Sindh

The Hyderabad city continues to grapple with a worsening dengue outbreak, as another young man succumbed to the virus, raising the death toll to 12. The latest victim, 31-year-old Asim Miyo, was a director of a local welfare organisation and had been actively involved in anti-dengue spray campaigns in recent days.

Asim, a resident of Latifabad Unit 9 near Government Sindhi School, tested positive for dengue four days ago. Initially treated at Hilal-e-Ahmar Hospital in Unit 6 for three days, his condition deteriorated and he was shifted to the dengue ward at Civil Hospital Hyderabad, where he passed away on Saturday. He had been married just six months earlier.

Despite the rising fatalities, local authorities-including the district administration, Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, town municipal bodies, and the health department-have failed to implement coordinated and effective measures to curb the spread of dengue. Hospitals continue to receive dozens of new cases daily, overwhelming medical facilities.

The welfare organisation Asim was affiliated with had previously issued a public statement warning that any dengue-related death in Hyderabad would result in legal action against the Deputy Commissioner, Mayor, District Health Officer, and other officials. However, following the recent surge in deaths, the organisation's leadership has remained silent, drawing sharp criticism from citizens on social media.

The unchecked spread of the dengue mosquito and lack of preventive action have sparked public concern, with calls growing louder for accountability and urgent intervention to contain the epidemic.

Sindh reports 1,083 dengue cases

The Sindh Health Department has released its latest report on dengue, confirming 439 new cases across the province this month, bringing the total for 2025 to 1,083. According to Sindh Minister for Health and Population Welfare Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, the Karachi Division remains the most affected, with 188 cases reported this month, followed by Hyderabad Division with 154 cases, Mirpurkhas with 83, Sukkur with 10, Shaheed Benazirabad with 3, and Larkana Division with 1 case.

Dr Pechuho clarified that the Health Department maintains complete records of all confirmed dengue cases received from government hospitals. "If a patient undergoes testing at a private laboratory, that report is not included in our official data," she stated, emphasising that the figures released by the Health Department are verified and authentic.

She urged the public not to believe unverified information or rumours circulating on social media, adding that data of all patients admitted to hospitals or treated in outpatient departments (OPDs) is properly maintained by the department.

The minister added that the provincial government is actively pursuing anti-dengue measures, including fumigation, drainage improvements, and mosquito control across urban and rural areas. Deputy commissioners and health officials have been instructed to prevent water accumulation, the primary breeding ground for mosquitoes. Dedicated dengue units have been set up in public hospitals offering free testing and treatment.

Malaria cases cross 230,000

The Health Department also released malaria statistics, revealing that 2,593,647 blood samples have been screened this year, with 230,928 confirmed cases. No deaths have been reported, though three patients were hospitalized with cerebral malaria.

Hyderabad Division recorded the highest number of malaria cases (107,389), followed by Larkana (55,354), Shaheed Benazirabad (25,151), Mirpurkhas (21,336), Sukkur (18,466), and Karachi (3,232).