LAHORE: The first dengue-related death was reported in Punjab this year on Wednesday when a teenage girl succumbed to dengue complications in the Mayo Hospital.

As per hospital sources, Manahil, a resident of Sahiwal, was shifted to the hospital with a history of high fever and the doctors isolated her for treatment. She developed complications as the dengue progressed to an advanced stage during treatment. She died at the hospital on Wednesday.

Mayo Hospital Chief Operating Officer Prof Dr Faisal Masood confirmed the death of the girl caused by dengue fever. He said the girl was brought to the hospital after she was tested positive for dengue twice.

As per the history noted by the treating doctors, she had earlier carried the dengue virus but recovered, he added.

Dr Masood said that after the onset of the disease again, she was rushed to the Sahiwal District Headquarter Hospital (DHQ) where she developed serious complications.

The DHQ hospital referred her to the Mayo Hospital after she had high-grade fever for five days as the disease had progressed to Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever.

“It is a severe and potentially fatal form of dengue fever that can occur when some patients develop warning signs after their fever begins to subside,” he said.

Worldwide, the mortality rate of the patients reporting with DHF was 85 per cent, he added.

“She was brought to the accident and emergency ward of the Mayo Hospital on Nov 5 at 7:29am in a critical condition. She was pulse-less, resuscitated in emergency, and shifted to the dengue High Dependency Unit,” Prof Masood said.

She had Mayocarditis (inflammation of heart mussel), renal failure, and was diagnosed with Dengue Expanded Syndrome (Dengue Igm +ve).

“Her father had refused to put her on a ventilator when the treating doctors recommended further aggressive treatment,” he said.

The Dengue Experts Advisory Group reviewed the case and concluded that death occurred due to dengue complications.

Prof Faisal Masood termed it an unusual case as the young patients mostly survive the dengue fever.

Meanwhile, reports suggested that nearly 130 more people have tested positive for dengue virus during the last 24 hours across Punjab. Most of the cases were reported in Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad and Multan.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2024