KARACHI:
Karachi is struggling with an outbreak of Adenovirus (ADV), a disease worsened by climate change and pollution. Patients are flooding the hospitals with signs of headache, chills, cough, cold, and fever. Cases of diarrhoea are also on the rise.
Healthcare officials revealed that over a thousand people with these symptoms are visiting governmental hospitals each day. On one Saturday, Dr. Ruth KM Pfau Civil Hospital saw 782 cases of ADV and severe respiratory infection; on the following Monday, the cases hit 1,275.
Dr. Harish Kumar, Assistant Medical Superintendent at Civil Hospital, notes that instances of cold, cough, and fever have spiked in the last 15 to 20 days. These patients are given fever reducers, antibiotics, and cough medicines. He pointed out the fluctuating weather – cold at night and evening but hot in the afternoon – along with climate change and pollution as key contributors to this problem.
Despite complaints of headaches, fever, and runny noses, patients’ blood pressure remains normal. This fever persists for around a week. Dr. Kumar urges special attention for children and the elderly. Citizens are advised to drink boiled water, wear masks, and eat healthy food.
Dr. Abdul Latif Shaikh, Chief Medical Officer at Civil Hospital, mentioned that a majority of reported cases are viral, but some are bacterial infections. The number of diarrhoea cases has noticeably increased, too, affecting patients’ kidneys due to possibly contaminated water.
Dr. Faisal Javed, a General Physician at Jinah Hospital in Karachi, reassures citizens that the disease is not a new viral strain. A vaccine exists, and the flu and corona vaccines offer precautionary measure. Individuals with diabetes and asthma should be particularly cautious, as ADV is contagious. However, there’s no need for panic. Maintaining social distance and wearing masks can suffice as preventive measures.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 20th, 2024.
