Dengue Outbreak, a growing endemic – an overview of dengue cases in Karachi.

Abstract

Objective: To study the epidemiological trends and risk factors during the dengue outbreak among population of East Karachi, Pakistan. Study Design: Retrospective Analysis and Review. Setting: Dengue Control and Prevention Center, East Karachi. Period: September 2020 to November 2020. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 1012 patients from East Karachi who were tested positive for dengue virus during the study period. Patients demographics, travel history, vector source, and outcomes were recorded. Statistical analysis was done using IBM-SPSS, version 26.0. Results: Most of the patients were male (60.6%), with the majority (21.0%) belonging to the 30- to 39-year-old age group. Majority (81.2%) were from Gulshan Town. Overall, UC14 and Faisal Can’t have the highest number of cases (18.3%) followed by UC 5, Gulshan-1 (8.5%), and UC 10, Pehalwan Goth (8.3%). A total of 80% of the patients were alive, and 20% expired. The majority (40%) were found to have a vector-prone area in vicinity, primarily a botanical nursery. An abrupt surge in cases can be seen for the month of October. The number of dengue cases showed rapid increase in Karachi East, Pakistan. Conclusion: There is a need to educate the population about the preventive measures against the spread of viruses. The concerned authorities should devise an adequate and effective plan to flatten the infectivity curve. If necessary changes are not made, future outbreaks could be more serious, disastrous, and uncontrollable.