The death toll of dengue fever in Pakistan's largest port city Karachi has risen to 25, local private Geo TV reported on Monday.
According to Pakistan's Dengue Fever Surveillance Committee, during the past 24 hours, 47 patients of the disease were discharged from hospitals in Karachi while 68 new patients were admitted. Total number of such patients in the city's hospitals now reached 197.
Abbasi Shaheed Hospital in Karachi has started free diagnosis tests of dengue fever.
In view of increasing number of patients, Pakistan Medical Association demanded that anti-mosquito action should be carried out at all railway stations, bus stops and airports of the city. Anti-mosquito spray should also be carried out inside the trains, buses and planes to ensure extermination of mosquitoes to stop their access to other parts of the country.
(Xinhua News Agency October 24, 2006)