Swat outbreak: Woman dies of dengue at Saidu Teaching Hospital, death toll reaches three

STH spokesperson says deceased was brought to the hospital in critical condition.

MINGORA:

A woman died of dengue fever within two hours of being brought to Saidu Teaching Hospital (STH) on Thursday.

STH spokesperson Dr Wasil said Naziat, 47, had been suffering from the fever for five days and was brought to the hospital in critical condition. The outbreak had already claimed two lives earlier. Taj Bibi, 14, and Hayat Hussain, 15, also lost the battle to dengue.

The total number of patients suffering from the disease has crossed 1,547. Dr Wasil said 1,237 patients were admitted at the hospital, out of which 1,038 have been discharged following treatment and recovery.

“Currently, 199 patients including seven children are admitted in the hospital. Four patients are being kept in the intensive care unit (ICU) and two patients have been referred to Lahore,” he added.

Provincial health secretary Dr Fakhr-e-Alam visited STH and met patients suffering from the virus. Talking to journalists, he said anti-dengue fumigation has already been conducted in more than 18,000 houses, with more to follow soon. “Emergency in hospitals has been imposed and all facilities are being provided to patients.”

He claimed more diagnosis machines will be brought in to obtain immediate test results for dengue patients.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 6^th, 2013.