The sudden rise in dengue cases in the province has set the alarm bell ringing as the health officials also fear an imminent outbreak of dengue in coming weeks. 

As many as eighty new cases of the mosquito borne diseases surfaced in the province during the past 24 hours, which speaks volume of the gravity of the situation. Overall, around one thousand dengue patients have been reported in Karachi alone where other water borne diseases like the gastroenteritis and diarrhea is also rampant after the recent heavy rains.  The stagnant rain water accumulated across the province serve as breeding grounds for mosquitos and only highly effective insecticide sprays can help control them but in current floods situation across the province the same is not possible immedicably. Karachi is the most affected urban centre where dengue is becoming  out of control with as many as  76 cases out of the total 78 cases have taken place in Karachi alone.  

During the last 24 hours, over two dozen cases were reported in district central followed by 22 cases in the district south and 19 in East District. Other districts have also reported high number of dengue cases, During the current monsoon, a total of 2,643 dengue cases have been reported across the province while majority of these i.e., i2,280 patients were reported in the mega polis alone, report says. 

The situation is becoming alarming and can develop into an epidemic if immediate steps were not ensured by the authorities. As a matter of fact, the entire country is facing the similar situation after the torrential rains and flash floods across the country. Even the Capital City of Islamabad is in grip of mosquito diseases and as many two dozen cases have been reported during the last 24 hours in Islamabad followed by as many in Rawalpindi.  

The irony is that while the masses were taking a sigh of relief after the lifting of corona restrictions in the country, another danger i.e., the dengue menace has reared its ugly head. Yes, the rapidly increasing critical dengue cases and related deaths across the country are a matter of serious concern for all of us.   No place is safe from mosquitos as dengue cases are on the rise elsewhere. Punjab is also reporting high number of dengue cases on daily basis during and after the rains.  

It may be mentioned here that dengue has become a yearly affair. Last  year the dengue outbreak had touched a new high with over 50,000 cases reported and as many as 79 patients lost their battle against this fatal mosquito borne disease.  

This year the disease has been inflicting people since the monsoon onset i.e.  July but since the nation was focused on floods situation, dengue cases could not get the required attention either at govt level or at societal level. And now when the  rains have subsided, the dengue situation has become graver with  approximately twenty thousand cases reported in the country.  

Now this is an alarming number as compared to 1,726 cases reported over a corresponding period last year.     

The last couple of months had been an augury of a healthcare crisis waiting to happen during and after the rains.  One is also dismayed at the failure of authorities to control the fatal disease and the Federal and the provincial governments directives to the vector-borne diseases control departments to pay greater attention to case response in areas where dengue and other vector-borne disease cases were occurring.  

A large-scale awareness campaign together with anti-dengue measures is need of the hour to control the menace before it spirals out of control. There is also needed to prevent misinformation about dengue and to encourage people to take precautions. For instance, many people believe that the dengue mosquito can bite only at dawn and dusk as it is active only at that time. But research suggests that the Aedes mosquito which cause the spread of dengue bites are active during the day as well, especially two hours after sunrise and before sunset. It may be mentioned here that the country has been facing many outbreaks of dengue since 1994, with some big outbreaks reported in 2005, 2011 and 2019 and this year could also become a major outbreak. Meanwhile, the medical experts say  that in the wake of flash floods, the next two months would be extremely crucial as not only dengue but the spread of other diseases is also looming large and emergent steps are needed to avert the danger.  

Skin infection is also on the rise beside abdominal disease after the flash floods and the situation can become out of control if immediate steps were not taken.

To start with, the Federal and provincial government must ensure anti-dengue mosquito sprays at the hotspots in the urban centres and other districts to control the situation in the ongoing floods situation.  

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 07 2022

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