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KARACHI: Karachi has been met with the return of dengue, a zoonotic adversary that pays the city a visit every monsoon. The standing water from the season’s downpour has created the optimal environment for the disease-carrying mosquitoes to breed. Health experts warn the dengue virus could take the shape of an epidemic.
The mosquito-borne virus is rapidly spreading in different parts of Karachi as nearly 250 infections have surfaced so far during July.
Sindh has reported over 1,000 cases of the disease this year so far and Karachi has the highest share.
So far this year, some 867 dengue virus cases have surfaced in Karachi whereas, in Sindh overall, the tally is 1,154.
Dengue virus is known to remain a threat from July to November in the port city, but medical experts fear that this time the disease may spread more rapidly in the wake of Covid-19’s sprawl, and therefore advised strict preventative measures to keep both viruses at bay. One of which, is a city-wide fumigation by the government to kill breeding mosquitoes and their eggs before they have a chance of taking to the city.
The standing rainwater in several areas of the metropolis is serving as a breeding haven for the mosquito specie which lay eggs in it.
In July, the Sindh health department officials said some 239 cases of the mosquito-borne disease have been reported in Karachi in July so far.
The South district of the metropolis is the hardest-hit as 292 people got infected there, the officials said and added that 62 and 54 cases have been reported in Central and Korangi districts, respectively.
59 infections were reported in the West district.
There have been 27 cases in the Hyderabad division and 12 in the Mirpurkhas division this month as well.
