The mosquito-borne viral infection dengue is rapidly spreading across Sindh province. Over the last two days, three more deaths have been confirmed — two in Karachi (a 30-year-old woman from Malir and a 65-year-old man from West district) and one 18-year-old girl in Hyderabad’s Latifabad. This raises the official death toll for the year to six.
In the past 24 hours alone, approximately 1,411 people have tested positive for dengue — 618 in Karachi and 793 in Hyderabad — after over 5,000 tests were conducted. Public hospitals admitted 106 new patients and private facilities 93 within that same period.
Specialists warn that the situation is far more severe than the documented figures suggest, pointing to a lack of official data collection from numerous private clinics. For instance, while the official tally is six deaths, the Aga Khan University Hospital alone recorded six deaths and 500 admissions this year from dengue. Meanwhile, the Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital & Research Centre (SIDH&RC) reported 12 deaths.
Medical professionals express concern that many patients are self-medicating and not hydrating properly, which can worsen complications such as low platelet count and internal bleeding. Symptoms of dengue include high fever, headache, joint pain, nausea, and rash. Second‐time infections may lead to severe dengue, characterised by vomiting, bleeding gums, rapid breathing or blood in vomit/stool.
Authorities are calling for heightened awareness, better hydration, avoiding over-the-counter self-medication, and strengthened vector-control efforts as the outbreak intensifies in the region.
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