Islamabad, Sep 18 (FN Agency) Mosquito-borne illnesses such as chikungunya and dengue fever have increased at health facilities in recent weeks, according to specialists, and these instances are expected to climb much more with the arrival of winter, a media report said. Officials at the Dr. Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) told Dawn that the number of patients reporting at the health facility’s emergency and outpatient departments (OPDs) had increased, with the majority being suspected cases of chikungunya, followed by dengue, malaria, and viral fever. According to reports, experts have underlined the importance of vector management methods to reduce mosquito breeding grounds and other disease-causing insects.
“We are getting a combination of these patients, though the number of patients presenting with signs and symptoms of chikungunya is slightly higher,” said Dr Imran Sarwar G. Sheikh, the in-charge of the emergency department at the CHK. He stated that the hospital’s emergency room receives around 50 chikungunya and dengue patients every day. Instances of chikungunya were previously documented at both government and private clinics, but their numbers have increased in recent weeks, possibly due to stagnant water in regions following the rains, Dawn quoted Dr Imran Sheikh. “We also receive around a dozen malaria cases and a significant number of viral fever cases daily,” he added.