Deadly bite: Dengue fever claims life of young man

Death toll in Karachi rises to six for this year.

KARACHI: Dengue fever claimed the life of a young man in the city, taking the total death toll to six this  year while over 2,200 have been bitten by the deadly mosquitoes.

Abdul Ghafoor, 20, resident of village Soomar Khaskheli, Mawach Goth, died at Civil Hospital, Karachi, on Friday during treatment. Dozens of other patients have been admitted at different public and private hospitals.



Despite frequent cases and deaths by the virus, the government has yet to take any action. High-ranking government officials claim they have no funds to take any precautionary measures. A Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) official insisted they have no money to start the fumigation drive which is severely needed.

Read: Third suspected case of dengue reported at Saidu hospital

"There is complete coordination among departments but no one wants to implement what is required the most," said an official of the health department, who did not wish to be named. He said that the KMC officials are not serious about the fumigation drive. "It is peak season," he said. "We shouldn't delay otherwise more cases will emerge in the coming days," he warned.

The health official informed The Express Tribune the government has yet to take serious measures to handle the situation. "The Punjab chief minister woke up when 1,000 cases were reported but nothing is being taken seriously in Sindh yet," he pointed out, adding that the lives of the people of Karachi are at stake. The provincial programme manager for dengue control, Dr Masood Ahmed Solangi, insisted that everything is under control. "But this is peak [dengue] season," he admitted.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 17^th, 2015.