Dengue epidemic : Season’s first case reported in Larkana

RATODERO/ KARACHI: The first dengue fever case of the season was reported in Larkana on Wednesday. Syed Akbar Shah, 35, was rushed to the casualty department of the Chandka Medical College Hospital (CMCH) on Tuesday night with complaints of severe fever and blood vomiting. CMCH Dengue Cell’s Dr Imdad Shaikh said no dengue case had been reported in Larkana till now. Last year, however, three to four patients were reported in the district, he said. Dengue Surveillance Cell focal person Dr M Shakeel Aamir Mullick said that dengue patients mostly do not visit hospitals in the initial phase of the disease. He lamented that when the disease enters in final stage then these patients are brought to hospitals which lowered their chances of survival. At least 19 dengue patients have already died in Karachi this year while two others expired in Hyderabad.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 31^st, 2013.