On its way out?: Waiting on nature to combat dengue

Experts say winter will eliminate the carrier mosquito; three more patients admitted.

MINGORA:

Three more people were diagnosed with dengue in Swat, bringing the total number of patients to 135. As dengue continues to infect more people, medical experts gave assurances that mosquitos spreading the virus will soon die out as temperatures drop. 

“The weather is already changing and the dengue mosquito cannot survive the cold,” said Izhar Khan, a medical expert in Mingora. However, the dengue outbreak in 2013 persisted well into November.

Meanwhile, Roshan Ali, the focal person of the dengue unit at Saidu Teaching Hospital said three patients, identified as Usmania, 30, Zakia, 25 and Umer Zeb, 21, tested positive for the virus and have been admitted.

“Seven patients, including five men and two women, are currently hospitalised and are receiving the necessary treatment,” he said. Ali added 128 people were discharged after making a complete recovery.

At a media briefing, Swat Deputy Commissioner, Mahmood Aslam Wazir said the team formed by the district administration and health department has played a pivotal role in controlling the spread.

“The teams conducted a door-to-door survey to raise awareness and also eliminated dengue larvae from more than 2,000 localities around Mingora,” said Wazir. He claimed medical experts and the World Health Organization appreciated measures taken by the Swat administration.

Wazir also acknowledged the role of non-governmental organisations, saying dengue would have also wreaked havoc this year without their help.

In 2013, dengue caused the deaths of 37 people, according to official figures, while 9,000 contracted the virus. Unofficial figures suggest the death toll from last year could be as high as 63.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 7^th, 2014.