Greater dengue surveillance sought for changing weather

Committee urged to focus on stagnant points such as ponds, lakes and nurseries

RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Headquarters Additional Deputy Commissioner Saima Younis has called for a special focus on safety measures and surveillance against dengue as the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi face a wet spell amid changing the weather.

She said this during a meeting of the district emergency response committee for dengue at the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.

During the meeting, Younis also directed to focus on stagnant points such as lakes, ponds, and nurseries as well as other points to eradicate the dengue larvae.

She emphasised the need to destroy the old tyres since they can serve as a hideout for dengue larvae to grow.

Moreover, she added that the sanitation system should also be improved for eliminating the risk of dengue growth.

The ADC said that the boundary limits of areas in the city should also be monitored in the ongoing anti-dengue drive and that dengue larva should be destroyed wherever they are found.

She added that the anti-dengue drive had been launched to take serious measures against the deadly disease which cause several deaths every year.

The Rawalpindi health department said that so far this year, no confirmed dengue patient has been reported in Rawalpindi.

The department officials added that From January 22 to February 11,  some 331 indoor teams had checked 63,715 houses in the Chaklala Cantonment Board, the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board, Potohar Town (Urban) and Rawal Town.

The survey only found three houses positive for dengue larvae.

According to the outdoor vector surveillance report, some 262 teams had checked around 40,576 spots in the same area and none of them had tested positive for dengue.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 27^th, 2019.