PMA expresses worry over rising dengue cases

KARACHI: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) is extremely worried about the increasing dengue incidence in Karachi in Sindh.

According to the Sindh health department, 2,825 instances of Dengue have been registered throughout the province this year, with 2,462 cases occurring exclusively in Karachi. 
60% of people entering hospitals in Karachi are afflicted with Dengue, according to reports. 

Thirty deaths in the previous six weeks have been attributed to the dengue virus in Karachi.

We have serious doubts that the issue will not become epidemic. The government should thus quickly implement preventative measures to combat Dengue.

Notably, Dengue fever is a tropical disease transmitted by mosquitoes and caused by the dengue virus. Aedes aegypti, the mosquito that transmits dengue illness, may thrive and spread after the rainy season has ended.

Dengue fever symptoms may include high fever, headache, vomiting, muscle and joint pain, eye discomfort, and bone pain three to fourteen days after infection. In the most severe cases, there may be bleeding from the gums, nose, mouth, and other body areas. It is also associated with a distinctive skin rash.

The government should immediately launch an anti-mosquito spraying campaign in flood-affected areas and Karachi, as the only way to avoid Dengue is to eradicate all mosquitoes from the nation, as there is neither a vaccine nor a specialized cure. 
Elimination of mosquitoes will help eradicate illnesses transmitted by mosquitoes, such as malaria, chikungunya, and the Zika virus.