RAWALPINDI: The incidences of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) and Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS), more fatal forms of the infection are recording an alarming increase this year among patients of dengue fever being tested positive as nearly 47 per cent of all patients so far tested positive for dengue fever here at the three Rawalpindi Medical University allied hospitals in town have been diagnosed with DHF or DSS.
Data collected by ‘The News’ has revealed that this year so far, well over 1300 patients have been confirmed positive at the three allied hospitals, including Holy Family Hospital, Benazir Bhutto Hospital and Rawalpindi Teaching Hospital of which over 550 have been diagnosed with DHF while 51 with DSS.
Data reveals that during the on-going outbreak of dengue fever, as many as 43.19 per cent of all dengue fever patients contracted the DHF and 3.46 percent have developed DSS, more fatal forms of the infection; however, so far no death has been recorded due to the infection at the allied hospitals.
The DHF is characterized by bleeding from gums or skin while DSS, a rare complication of dengue fever and a more fatal form of the infection, occurs most often in small children and elderly adults usually by day 3-5 of the fever. Generally, uncontrolled bleeding distinguishes DSS from uncomplicated dengue fever.
In DSS, the liver is often enlarged. Patients can have rapid onset of marked drowsiness, lethargy or restlessness or the presence of shock as manifested by a rapid and weak pulse, low blood pressure and cold clammy skin. DSS can be a mortal illness and requires rapid and careful in-hospital management with assiduous correction and replacement of fluid, electrolytes, plasma and sometimes, fresh blood and or platelets transfusions. Mortality from DSS ranges from five to 30 percent in untreated native populations and the highest risk is to infants under one year.
Data reveals that in the last two-and-a-half months, the three teaching hospitals received well over 1270 confirmed dengue fever patients and almost one in every two confirmed patients was diagnosed with DHF or DSS, which is alarming.
At Allied Hospitals, the majority of DSS patients received intensive care treatment at high dependency units. Health experts say that dengue shock can be prevented or managed by increasing fluid intake from the first day of diagnosis. Experts say that patients showing symptoms of DHF or DSS must be immediately taken to a specialized healthcare centre or hospital for treatment.
The warning signs of DHF and DSS are low blood pressure, excessive sleep, fever not responding to treatment, jaundice or yellow discoloration of skin, blackout dizziness, raised pulse up to 130 beats per minute, palpitations, decreased urination, abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, swelling of skin and edema, blood in stools or urine, shortness of breath, cold hands and feet and drowsiness.
Published in The NEWS on October 3, 2025.
