KARACHI:
The scenic city of Karachi is grappling with a rampant proliferation of Adenovirus (ADV), a virulent affliction that health professionals suggest has been exacerbated by climate change and environmental pollution. This unsettling scale of the outbreak has ignited profound concern amongst both the public and the health departments.
A dramatic upsurge has been observed in cases of patients afflicted with ADV, boosting hospital visits significantly. Presenting myriad symptoms such as headache, chills, cough, cold, and fever, the disease has proven to be highly impactful. Concurrently, incidences of diarrhoea have swelled, adding to the complexity of the situation.
As per medical practitioners, government hospitals are witnessing an influx of over a thousand patients grappling with an array of these symptoms on a daily basis. Dr. Ruth KM Pfau Civil Hospital reported a startling number of 782 cases of ADV and acute respiratory tract infection on a singular Saturday, while Monday saw an astounding figure of 1,275 reported instances.
According to Assistant Medical Superintendent Civil Hospital, Dr Harish Kumar, the escalation of cold, cough, and fever cases has been particularly prominent in the preceding 15 to 20 days. Their course of action involves proactively treating patients presenting with fever and sore throat through dispensing antipyretics, antibiotics, and cough medicines. He further noted that the frigid night and evenings coupled with blistering afternoons, climate change, and environmental pollution expedite the proliferation of these cases.
The majority of the patients predominantly complain about symptoms including headaches, nasal congestion, fever, and chills. It is noteworthy that their blood pressure remains within the normal parameters. The duration of the fever extends approximately up to a week. Substantial precautionary measures are particularly essential for vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly. Dr. Kumar also recommends citizens to take preventive measures such as the consumption of boiled water, avoiding junk food, and diligently wearing masks.
Similarly, Civil Hospital Chief Medical Officer, Dr Abdul Latif Shaikh, elucidated that 90 per cent of reported cases are viral infections, while bacterial infections are sparse.
Shedding light on a complementary issue, Dr. Imran, the emergency in-charge of the Civil Hospital, indicated that diarrhoea cases have witnessed an upswing. In contrast to previous rates of 4-6 cases, the hospital is now navigating a challenging scenario of diagnosing 10-12 daily instances of diarrhoea.
He further underscored the contamination of water as the prime cause of the rising diarrhoea cases, which has a deleterious impact on the patients’ kidneys. However, the adherence to consuming boiled water among patients remains disappointingly low.
Dr Faisal Javed, a peerless General Physician of Jinah Hospital Karachi, aptly reminded individuals that while the outbreak is unprecedented, this virus itself is not novel. He asserted that inoculation through vaccines offers a reliable path of prevention. Asthma and diabetes patients need to exercise even more caution, given their vulnerability to viral infections. He concluded by urging citizens not to succumb to panic, but to adopt precautionary measures such as maintaining social distance and wearing masks.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 20th 2024.
