Pakistan: Dengue fever death toll reaches 121

[News_Editor]

Pakistan: Dengue fever death toll reaches 121

2011-09-30 20:08:22 GMT+7 (ICT)

LAHORE, PAKISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- The dengue fever outbreak in Pakistan continues to spread rapidly with the latest death toll reaching at least 121 as thousands of cases have been reported, officials said Friday.

The worst affected area is the city of Lahore, the capital of Pakistan's eastern province of Punjab, where 10,500 cases of dengue fever have been reported. Some 1,415 cases have been reported in other areas of Punjab province.

Out of the 121 deaths, 112 have been in Lahore alone. Among the fatalities is Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Member of Provincial Assembly Mumtaz Jajja. He was admitted to Jinnah Hospital after being diagnosed with the disease but his health deteriorated quickly and he died on Thursday.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has ordered authorities to take immediate steps to fight the outbreak, sending medical and surveillance teams to the affected areas. He also called for the formation of town committees and requested elected representatives to focus on the dengue outbreak until it eradicates.

On Monday, Sharif claimed that hospitals have been reorganized and set up to fight the epidemic while the government began preparing to distribute around 500,000 kits consisting of coils, medicines and insecticides to kill mosquitoes.

Several groups have carried out awareness marches in Khanpur, Liaquatpur, Sadiqabad, Sargodha and Rahim Yar Khan where fumigation has been carried out. Sharif also urged residents to support the health measures being implemented by the government, which has been fumigating several parts of the region.

Nonetheless, the outbreak continues to bring increasing fear to both residents and medical teams. While locals continue to overflow at local hospitals and clinics to get their complete blood count tests, the virus seems to be affecting people at a constant rate. Usually, the dengue virus is most active during the initial phases of the outbreak, but the situation has not followed the typical epidemic cycle and is not weakening.

Late last week, an emergency health team from the World Health Organization (WHO) arrived in Pakistan to assess the situation and help organize a strategy to fight the epidemic. The team reached the affected regions in response to Pakistan's request for the organization's support against the health crisis.

Previously, Sri Lankan specialists who had arrived in Pakistan to help fight the outbreak informed that the virus has contaminated hospitals in Lahore, increasing the number of victims.

WHO health teams are planning to provide the government with increased support in controlling the virus, dispatching a team of experts to assess the situation and train doctors and paramedics with dengue treatment and vector control measures.

Despite the alarming health crisis, schools across the province began reopening since Monday. Punjab officials said schools in the province would be operating from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. local time following a 10-day closure of elementary schools, high schools, and colleges, while officials reorganized their health measures to avoid further spreading of the epidemic.

The schools were ordered to carry out fumigation at the schools during these days. However, some 500 schools had been issued show-cause notices for not fumigating their school grounds despite government orders. Furthermore, officials warned school administrators that strict action would be taken against them if they did not comply with the orders.

The announcement of the school shut downs had been received with mixed reactions as some expressed concern whether the school syllabus would be completed on time. However, schools have revised their scheduled calendars to make up for the time.

Last week, Punjab Chief Minister said only schools which have adequately carried out the instructed safety measures would be reopened. The committees in charge of overlooking the fumigation and health measures issued certificates to these schools, allowing them to reopen.

At the start of the epidemic, the Punjab government was accused of criminal negligence for not being transparent about the outbreak. Advocate Noshab A Khan said that the outbreak had worsened because it had not been properly controlled during the early stages and the fumigation campaign had been of poor quality.

Dengue spreads more often after the rainy season when stagnant water on the streets may activate the breed of mosquitoes, causing dengue fever. Heavy monsoon rains in southeastern Pakistan have so far claimed the lives of some 300 people and displaced millions more.

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