A health worker fumigates anti-dengue spray in Rawalpindi. PHOTO: APP
At least 34 more people have been tested positive for dengue, while the number of patients under treatment at allied hospitals has increased to 248, according to official data.
With the spectre of dengue gone out of control, the district administration in a disparate attempt decided to release fish and ducks in areas swarming with dengue larvae.
Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa said that there were some points where it was impossible to drain out water, therefore fish and ducks will be brought in to annihilate the mosquitos larvae.
The eco-friendly initiative has been launched with the cooperation of Punjab Livestock and Fisheries Department that has donated the ducks and fish to Rawalpindi district administration for its war on dengue.
809 cases of dengue reported from Karachi this year
RCB conducts anti-dengue inspection
Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) under the anti-dengue drive had inspected 1,850 houses and removed dengue larva from 42 points. RCB spokesman Qaiser Mahmood told the media that the Board had taken effective measures to control dengue while special teams under anti-dengue drive were inspecting residential and commercial places and educating the citizens about the importance of sanitation, cleanliness and preventive measures against dengue.
Some 1,850 houses and other points were checked by male and female health workers during the door-to-door campaign while dengue larva was found at 42 points, which was removed from British Homes, Naseerabad, Westridge, Masrial Road, Chor, Range Road and Dhoke Gujaran areas.
RCB teams were also visiting hotels, restaurants, workshops, tyre shops and junkyards and the citizens were being informed about dengue and adoption of maximum precautionary measures against the disease. The teams were removing stagnant water and dengue larvae from several breeding sites.
He said vulnerable points were regularly being checked. The spokesman urged the citizens to adopt precautionary measures and remove stagnant water from their homes and roof tops as most dengue larvae and mosquitos are found in air coolers, water drums and scrap items.
Capital’s hospitals told to devise dengue management plans
Health warning
Health experts on Friday asked citizens of twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad to properly dispose of solid waste and stop water storage practices at their residences to prevent the breeding of dengue.
According to them, mosquitoes breed primarily in containers like earthenware jars, metal drums and concrete cisterns used for domestic water storage, as well as discarded plastic food containers, used automobile tyres and other items that collect rainwater.
Dr Khawar Sultan from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) said that dengue viruses were transmitted to humans through the bites of infective female Aedes mosquitoes. He added that mosquitoes generally acquired the virus while feeding on the blood of an infected person.
He said that the virus circulates in the blood of the infected humans for two to seven days, at approximately the same time as they suffer from fever.
Dengue action plan in place: health dept
He added the clinical features of dengue fever vary according to the age of the patient. He said that dengue haemorrhagic fever is a potentially deadly complication that was characterised by high fever, haemorrhagic phenomena.
He added that the rapid growth of the urban population is bringing ever greater numbers of people into contact with this vector, especially in areas that are favourable for mosquito breeding such as households where water storage is common and where solid waste disposal services are inadequate.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 24th, 2019.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ