KARACHI/ISLAMABAD: In Karachi hundreds of patients flood the government hospital daily, exhibiting symptoms like cough, fever, cold, and chest infections as the adenovirus tightens its grip on the metropolis.
Dr. Qalb-e-Hasan, in charge of the Emergency Department at the Civil Hospital, attributes the surge in diseases to climate change and environmental pollution.
Officials report that over 1,000 patients seek treatment at the government-run hospital every day, complaining of symptoms such as headache, runny nose, fever, and chills.
Adenoviruses, as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, can range from mild to severe illness, with severe cases being less common.
However, individuals with compromised immune systems or pre-existing respiratory or cardiac conditions face a higher risk of severe illness from adenovirus infections.
The U.S. national health agency notes that the virus typically spreads from an infected person to others through close personal contact, such as touching or handshakes, airborne transmission via coughing and sneezing, or by touching surfaces contaminated with adenoviruses and then touching one’s mouth, nose, or eyes before handwashing.
Dr. Hasan advises citizens to wear face masks when venturing outdoors as a preventive measure.
I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.
