Heavy influx of dengue patients reaching allied hospitals

Rawalpindi:The three teaching hospitals in town including Holy Family Hospital (HFH), Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) and Rawalpindi Teaching Hospital (RTH), formerly known as DHQ Hospital, have started receiving a heavy influx of dengue fever patients for at least a week while to date, a total of 5726 dengue fever patients including probable, suspects and confirmed patients have visited the three hospitals this year.

Data collected by ‘The News’ on Monday has revealed that as many as 411 dengue fever patients have so far been confirmed positive at the three allied hospitals including 231 at HFH, 122 at BBH and 58 at RTH. On Monday, a total of 156 dengue fever patients were undergoing treatment at the three hospitals including 67 at HFH, 59 at BBH and 30 at RTH.

Data reveals that out of 5726 patients registered in outdoor patient departments of the three hospitals, the hospital staff had to admit as many as 899 patients for management of which 411 tested positive for the infection after dengue serology. It is important to mention here that to date, a total of 368 patients from Rawalpindi district have so far been tested positive for the infection.

According to Principal Rawalpindi Medical College and In-Charge Allied Hospitals Professor Dr. Jahangir Sarwar Khan, the allied hospitals have been catering to the needs of patients belonging to both the cities, Rawalpindi and Islamabad and their outskirts equally on the subject of management of dengue fever.

Data collected by ‘The News’ reveals that in the last 24 hours, the OPDs of the allied hospitals received 200 dengue fever suspects of which 62 were admitted for indoor management. The allied hospitals confirmed as many as 41 patients positive for dengue fever, 25 at HFH, nine at BBH and seven at RTH.

The three allied hospitals have so far discharged a total of 743 dengue fever patients including suspects and confirmed ones after treatment. To date, the infection has claimed no life at the three teaching hospitals in town.

The data reveals that the situation regarding spread of the infection has become much more intense while the existing weather condition is highly suitable for the transmission of dengue fever in this region of the country including the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Experts say that the weather conditions in the region remain suitable for spread of the infection and for growth of ‘aedes aegypti’, the mosquito that causes dengue fever till the middle of November and according to health experts, the fact makes the existing situation more alarming.

The number of cases of dengue fever reaching allied hospitals is continuously on the rise that hints that the outbreak of the infection this year would be much severe in nature. Experts say that strict indoor surveillance is needed to check spread of the infection and for that, individuals must have to take preventive measures.