Dengue outbreak in Karachi, over 1,100 test positive in eight days

There is an ongoing dengue outbreak in Karachi with over 1,100 dengue cases reported in the first eight days of October.

The public and private sector hospitals in Karachi have been receiving a growing number of high-grade fever cases with many of them testing positive for the dandy Fever, Dawn reported.

"North Nazimabad is a dengue hotspot along with Garden East, Union Council 4 of Metroville, Clifton Cantonment Board and Soldier Bazaar," said Dr Abdul Basit of Sindh's Dengue Control Programme on Tuesday.

He also said that the department received data from hospitals and carried out fumigation (a process of disinfecting an area) in affected houses located in areas where plenty of cases were reported.

"Routine fumigation is the responsibility of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and respective district municipal corporations," he said when asked why fumigation was not launched as a preventive measure before the monsoon.

According to the official statistics, 115 dengue cases were reported in Karachi on Tuesday while eight in the rest of Sindh's districts.

Reportedly, 4,403 dengue cases have come across this year in Sindh province, out of which 4,151 were reported from Karachi. The deadly fever has claimed 15 lives this year.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has asked for immediate anti-mosquito spray campaigns for eliminating mosquitoes.

"Government should immediately start anti-mosquito spray campaigns on an emergency basis throughout Pakistan because the disease could only be prevented by eliminating mosquitoes. There is no vaccine or specific treatment to combat this disease," the association said in a release.