KARACHI: The provincial health authorities on Wednesday confirmed two more deaths, one of which occurred last week, caused by dengue haemorrhagic fever in the city bringing the toll of the mosquitoborneinfection tonine this year, officials said.

The officials in the Sindh health ministry said a 45-year-old man died of dengue on Wednesday.

Besides, they confirmed the death of a 64-year-old woman who had died in a private hospital last week.

`A 45-year-old man from Sharfabad neighbourhood was brought to a private hospital in critical condition three days ago. He died today because of dengue fever,` said a senior official.

He said the death of the elderly woman was also confirmed to be caused by the lethalinfection.

The officials said the city was virtually in the control of mosquito-borne diseases dengue, malaria, chikungunya, etc for various reasons, including ineffective fumigation and poor sanitation conditions providing vast breeding grounds to mosquitoes.

Pathetic sanitation conditions can be seen everywhere in the sprawling metropolis.

Dengue had virtually subsided in recent years because of increasing awareness and immunity to the strain among the population. It is evident from the fact that the number of dengue patientssofarthisyear is still half of what was recorde d last year.

However, the number of deaths causedbythisinfection has climbed to nine as compared to three last year.

The ofñeials suspected that the fresh dengue strain that emerged in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could have augmented its incidence in Sindh, particularly the provincial capital.

`The new strain might have augmented dengue`s incidence, which could be more lethal as the current season will continue to support it until colder months arrive,` said a senior official.

The authorities have confirmed more than 1,300 dengue cases so far in the province this year, most of which have been reported from the metropolis.

Last year, some 2,418 cases ofdenguefeverwere reported in Sindh. More than 2,000 dengue patients were reportedin2015.