Amid reports in the increase of Dengue cases in Sindh, Dow University of Health Sciences as a part of its social responsibility organized a seminar “Dengue Fever” today at Arag Auditorium of Dow Medical College, Karachi to raise awareness regarding the Dengue fever among the medical professionals and public.
Prof. M. Umer Farooq, Pro-Vice Chancellor-DUHS and Principal-SMC speaking as the chief guest on the occasion said that the mosquito carrying this virus seems to have spread in many parts of Pakistan thus posing a threat to the entire population. Worse still, no vaccine of the virus has yet been made and as such there is no specific treatment or medicine. The only way to keep the dangerous disease at bay is through preventive measures, which includes the use of pesticides and mosquito repellents.
According to WHO, Dengue fever with no known treatment is spreading fast in Asia. About 2.5 billion people are at risk from one of the world’s fastest-emerging infections, which has “grown dramatically in recent decades.”
There is needed to take preventive measures against the outspread of Dengue virus by use of repellents. Other measures are using mosquito coils and electric vapor mats and using of insecticide treated nets (ITNs) to protect young children, pregnant women and old people.
Prof. Iftikhar Ahmed, Director Ojha said that Dengue fever is a severe, flu-like illness with fever, headache and muscle and joint pains that affects children and adults, but seldom causes death. Dengue is spread through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. The mosquito gets the virus by biting an infected person. The first symptoms of the disease occur about 5-7 days after the infected bite. There is no way to tell if a mosquito is carrying the Dengue virus. Therefore, people must protect themselves from all mosquito bites.
Dengue mosquitoes breed in stored, exposed, water collection systems. The favoured breeding places are: barrels, drums, jars, pots, buckets, flower vases, plant saucers, tanks, discarded bottles/tins, tyres, or water coolers, and other places where rainwater collects or is stored.
Earlier, Dr. Iftikhar Ahmed, Dirctor, Ojha Institute Communicable Diseases (OICD-DUHS), Dr. Rafiq Khanani, Director, Disease Research Center – DUHS, Dr. Iftikhar Haider, Assistant Professor of Medicine -DUHS also spoke on the occasion.