Sindh Sees 103 Deaths from Mosquito-Borne Diseases in 2025

Karachi [Pakistan], January 18 (ANI): As many as 103 people died from mosquito-borne diseases across Sindh in 2025, including 23 deaths from malaria at a Karachi hospital, according to data compiled from three hospitals in Karachi and one in Hyderabad, Dawn reported. However, the figure differs sharply from the provincial health department's official tally, which places the combined death toll from dengue and malaria at 33. Statistics gathered from Indus Hospital, Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital & Research Centre (SIDH&RC) and Liaquat University Hospital, Hyderabad/Jamshoro (LUH) showed that at least 103 people died due to mosquito-borne infections, including malaria, with 83 of the deaths, including children, recorded at hospitals in Karachi, Dawn reported. A significant number of cases were recorded between August and November last year. According to the data, Indus Hospital recorded 8,883 dengue cases in 2025 with 40 deaths. Sources told Dawn that 18 patients brought in critical condition died at the hospital's emergency department. The hospital also recorded 2,719 malaria patients and 23 deaths due to malaria, with six of the patients dying in the emergency department. The SIDH&RC reported 941 cases of mosquito-borne illnesses, including 651 dengue and 290 malaria cases. The hospital recorded 14 deaths from dengue and no deaths from malaria, Dawn reported. Meanwhile, though comprehensive data could not be collected from AKUH, sources said that at least six patients died of dengue between January and October last year. Sources at LUH said that 25 patients died of dengue fever at the facility in 2025, most of whom were admitted between September and November. In contrast, official data cited by Dawn stated that 20,502 dengue cases were reported in Sindh with 33 deaths, with over 90 per cent of cases recorded in Karachi and Hyderabad. The data listed Karachi with 10,375 cases and 10 deaths, and Hyderabad with 9,559 cases and 23 deaths. It further stated that 283,140 malaria cases were reported in the province with no deaths. According to the official breakdown, Hyderabad division was the most affected with 128,571 malaria cases, followed by Larkana (69,543), Shaheed Benazirabad (31,685), Mirpurkhas (25,671), Sukkur (24,114) and Karachi (3,556). Dawn reported that the health department spokesperson did not respond to messages seeking clarification on the disparity between the official figures and the hospital data.