Doctors have advised people not to worry about dengue fever because the disease is almost 100 percent curable, while viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) is more than 95 percent treatable.
Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) spokesman, Dr Shahid Rao said that a dengue fever patient had flue-like symptoms such as severe muscular aches and high fever but DHF was the severest form of the disease. "DF is transmitted to humans only by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito," he added.
Rao said that no specific treatment was available as yet but systematically relief of the fever and dehydration in the form of fluids or blood in case of DHF could help recover the patient. "If proper care is adopted, the death rate could be low as 1 percent, which is less than many communicable diseases in the county," he added.
He said no effective vaccine was available as yet but research might result in an effective vaccine in five to 10 years," he added. PMA leader said DHF was associated with more severe bleeding problems like gum bleeding, nose bleeding and bleeding into the skin and internal organs along with evidence of plasma leakages but less than five percent who were found DHF positive face such a situation.
"Spraying of appropriate insecticides to larval habitats on breeding sites like drums and concrete cisterns used for domestic water storage will help destroy breeding sites of Aedes mosquito," he added. Dr Rao said over the last more than 200 years tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world had been facing outbreaks of epidemics after every few decades.
He said the rainy season, post-monsoon temperatures, humid conditions and pre-winter season were a favourable time for the DF's spread. Dr Shahid Rao said dengue fever was linked to poor sanitary conditions and an inadequate water supply system.
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