A nine-year-old boy tested positive for dengue virus in Dakki area of Balochistan on Wednesday morning. The parents had brought the child to Fatima Jinnah Chest and General Hospital three days ago. The emergency ward in-charge said the child had a high fever.
The baby’s samples were sent to the laboratory three days ago. The laboratory report confirmed that the child was infected with the dengue virus.
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection, caused by four dengue virus serotypes (DENV -1, DENV- 2, DENV -3, DENV- 4). According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, dengue is common in nearly 100 countries around the world.
The hospital administration said that the child belonged to Dakki area of Balochistan.
The in-charge emergency ward said that another patient from Pishin district of Balochistan has been admitted. The patient is suffering from high fever.
He said that his test report will come this evening. Patients have been admitted to the hospital’s isolated wards to ensure that the necessary treatment is provided.
As per the WHO, from 18 September through 12 November 2019, a total of 3,075 confirmed cases of dengue fever were reported with three deaths. Serotyping of five positive samples confirmed the circulation of DENV-1. Vector surveillance conducted in Balochistan showed the presence of Aedes aegypti.