Dengue claims four lives in Abbottabad

More than 150 cases have been confirmed in the district.

ABBOTABAD: Four deaths have been reported as a result of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) and dengue fever while the National Institute of Health has confirmed four more cases of Congo virus at the Ayub Teaching Hospital Abbottabad.

So far, more than 150 cases of dengue fever have been confirmed in Abbottabad. Executive District Officer (EDO) Health Dr Zafeer claimed that the administration of Ayub Teaching Hospital (ATH) is hiding facts and is not cooperating with the health department despite the fact that the maximum number of such cases was admitted in ATH.

Deputy Medical Superintendent ATH Dr Junaid also confirmed that laboratory reports conducted by the National Institute of Health (NIH) of four more patients confirm that they have CCH but no one at ATH was able to tell if these patients were still admitted or have been discharged from the hospital. Earlier four Congo- positive patients were discharged from the hospital a few days ago and even their whereabouts are not known to the hospital authorities.

Hazara Commissioner  Sahibzada Muhammad Anees has also confirmed the presence of 37 cases of dengue fever other than those being treated in the ATH. Blood samples of 167 suspected patients were sent to NIH of which 37 have been confirmed as having dengue fever.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 2^nd, 2010.