• Rest, hydration advised as antibiotics are not effective against viral illnesses
• Ruling out dengue and malaria through lab tests termed important
KARACHI: With a gradual seasonal shift towards winters, the city has seen a dramatic increase in cases of viral flu, it emerged on October 9.
Sources said while most of these patients are reporting to private clinics, the number of those turning to tertiary care hospitals is no less.
“We are seeing around 150 to 200 patients with viral flu presenting with persistent high fever and severe body aches, along with other complaints such as sore throat, cough, nausea and vomiting,” shared Dr Imran Sarwar Sheikh of the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi, adding that 1,200 to 1,600 patients are currently reporting daily at the hospital’s emergency unit.
He pointed out that there were many cases in which several members of the same family were being affected and that a majority of these cases didn’t involve complications.
“Often, persistent high fever and acute weakness cause concern and families rush to the emergency department (of a public sector hospital) because they don’t have to pay for the tests and they get immediate treatment,” he explained.
Deputy Executive Director Dr Yahya Tunio at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre says that it’s not just cases of viral respiratory infections on rise but also cases of conjunctivitis.
“Every year, we see this spike (in certain illnesses) before winters,” he said, adding that there has been a five to 10 percent increase in viral flu patients reporting at the hospital’s emergency department.
Explaining the reasons behind the spike in different illnesses during seasonal shifts, senior general physician Dr Sajjad Siddiqui said that the high fluctuation of air temperature in a day in the ongoing transition period was favourable for growth of all kinds of germs and spread of diseases.
“This is a seasonal spike, which is experienced every year, at times with intensity,” he said, adding that less than five percent of his patients had complications and referred to a tertiary care hospital.
Dengue threat
The other two illnesses of concern these days, according to doctors, are dengue and malaria, which share some of their symptoms with the viral flu.
“Hence, it is important to rule dengue and malaria (through laboratory tests) before starting the treatment. Dengue is a high-risk disease as it can cause a significant drop in platelet count,” said Dr Najum F. Mahmudi, senior family physician running a private practice near Hill Park, seconding the opinion that the viral flu was highly contagious and often affecting several members of the same family.
Self-limiting illness
According to Dr Altaf Hussain Khatri, another senior general physician, most viral respiratory illnesses are self-limiting and only needed supportive care.
“This means patients should be advised rest, hydration and prescribed medicines for symptomatic relief. Antibiotics are not effective in viral illnesses.”
Warning signs, he said, included high or persistent fever lasting more than five to seven days, acute weakness, difficulty in breathing, severe throat pain and chest pain.
“Patients may develop secondary infection/s and they must seek immediate medical intervention in case symptoms persist,” he said.
Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2025.