Dengue fever Infects Pakistan

Dengue fever Infects Pakistan

Pakistan, a country already plagued by suicide bombings and floods, are now facing a new menace from a surprising and unprecedented outbreak of a known deadly disease in the tropics, dengue fever. 126 people already died due to dengue fever in less than a month while near 12,000 people have also been diagnosed with dengue fever across the Pakistani capital of Lahore. The disease has been spreading rapidly both to the rich and poor community in Lahore.

Yearly, an estimate of 50 to 100 million people across the tropical and subtropical regions is infected by dengue fever with symptoms such as fever, joint and muscle pains. The disease is fatal in the absence of proper medical attention to patients. The disease will develop into hemorrhagic fever and shock syndrome, loss of blood pressure and bleeding. Currently, the virus, already in 4 different strains and carried by mosquito Aedes Aegypti, has no vaccine yet. The best method to prevent the spread of dengue is strict mosquito control measures.

Pakistani officials are blaming the prolonged and heavy monsoon rains partnered by unusually high season temperatures. Locals however are furious and blaming the inefficiency of the government that has been causing the outbreak of dengue fever. Dengue has become a calamity in Pakistan. Of the near 12,000 people infected, 10,244 came from the capital Lahore, the country’s most densely populated region.

Posted by George Daniels on Friday September 30 2011, 2:57 AM EST. Ref: Reuters. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, World. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0