Sindh Dengue Death Toll Nears 40 as Minor Girl Dies in Hyderabad

A seven-year-old girl died of dengue in Hyderabad on Friday, raising Sindh’s death toll to 39 this year, according to the provincial health department.

In the last 24 hours, 173 new dengue cases were reported across the province, with Karachi and Hyderabad being the most affected areas. Out of these, 117 cases were reported in Karachi and 56 in Hyderabad. Twenty-one new patients were admitted to government hospitals and 25 to private hospitals, bringing the total number of hospitalized dengue patients in Sindh to 48.

The rising dengue cases follow a pattern seen in recent years. Sindh reported 2,704 cases in 2024 and 2,880 in 2023. The record was in 2022, with 23,274 cases, while 2021 and 2020 saw 6,739 and 4,318 cases respectively. Karachi continues to be the city most affected by the mosquito-borne disease.

What is dengue?

Dengue is a viral illness spread by infected Aedes mosquitoes, primarily Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, which are most active during the daytime, especially in the early morning and late afternoon. Symptoms usually appear 4–10 days after a mosquito bite and include high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pain, nausea, vomiting, skin rash, and mild bleeding such as nose or gum bleeding or easy bruising.

Preventive measures

Health experts say dengue can be prevented by taking simple measures. People should eliminate stagnant water to stop mosquito breeding, keep water containers tightly covered, use mosquito repellents and bed nets, and wear long-sleeved clothing during early morning and evening hours when mosquitoes are most active.