Major public and private hospitals in Karachi are reporting a sharp rise in patients with flu symptoms as winter sets in, and doctors say the H1N1 influenza strain, commonly known as swine flu, is now circulating in the city.
According to sources, Aga Khan University Hospital has recorded around 400 influenza cases this year. Professor Dr Faisal Mahmood, who heads the hospital's infectious diseases section, said influenza viruses keep evolving and cases could rise further by the end of the year. Not every suspected patient is tested, he noted, as testing is usually reserved for the seriously ill, so the true number may be higher.
At Civil Hospital Karachi, emergency department head Dr Imran Sarwar Sheikh said flu patients had doubled in the past few days, with 70 to 80 arriving daily. Around ten of them were suspected influenza cases and were referred to Dow Hospital for testing. Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre has also reported an increase in flu and suspected influenza patients.
Symptoms and precautions
Dr Irfan Siddiqui, deputy in-charge of JPMC's emergency department, said high fever, a runny nose and cough are the common symptoms, but in people with weak immunity the infection can lead to pneumonia and fluid in the lungs. Doctors advised carers and vulnerable people to wear masks and keep their distance from others.
Specialists called vaccination the key protection and urged older people, children and those with weakened immune systems to consult a doctor about the flu vaccine, alongside a balanced diet with soups and water-rich fruit to stay hydrated.