Dengue toll soars to 77 in twin cities

Doctors have yet to confirm if five of the deaths were due to the virus

RAWALPINDI: In one of the deadliest days for the virus, as many as four people suffering from dengue succumbed to the viral fever on Friday. As a result, the toll from the virus this season has surged to 77 in the twin cities.

Even as health officials in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, which have seen nearly 30,000 combined cases of dengue this year, hoped that the turn in the weather will help see cases decline, but the past 24 hours have seen as many as 64 patients at the three allied hospitals of Rawalpindi were confirmed to have been infected with the virus.

Health officials, however, have yet to ascertain through tests the cause of death of five other people who died while they were infected with the virus.

According to data on dengue cases in Rawalpindi division released by the government, so far as many as 82,484 people have been screened for dengue at the outpatient departments (OPDs) of Benazir Bhutto General Hospital (BBH), Holy Family Hospital (HFH) and the District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ).

Of these, 14,110 people were confirmed to have dengue fever. So far, 13,874 of these patients have been discharged after being treated and 230 patients are currently admitted.

Most of the patients, around 55, died at HFH, while 14 died at the BBH and six died in DHQ. Two died at private hospitals.

Of those who died, 22 were from different areas of Potohar Town, including five from Dhoke Kala Khan and three from Dhok Chudriyan Pakii Gali.

As many as 13 residents of Rawal Town also succumbed to the virus. Five patients from Rawalpindi Cantonment area also died of dengue and two from Chaklala Cantonment board. One dengue patient died in Murree.

As many as 15 patients from Islamabad including from areas such as Swan Garden, Jinnah Garden, Burma Town, Tarlai, Koral Chowk, Jolliyan, Sector I-9/1, Khanna Pul and other adjoining areas.

Among the other districts in Rawalpindi division and adjoining areas, two died in Attock, two in Chakwal, two from Azad Jammu and Kashmir, one each from Gujrat, Jhang and Khushab.

The two casualties reported in the private hospital were both from Wah Cantonment.

Cleanliness campaign

To counter dengue and to enhance the clean image of the city, the Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC), in collaboration with the waste management contractor Albayrak carried out its clean and green Punjab campaign in Dhoke Mangtal. During the campaign, awareness was created about the importance of cleanliness.

A spokesperson said that a camp was set up in the neighbourhood to disseminate information about the significance of cleanliness apart from educating the public about precautionary measures for dengue.

The official claimed that people hailing to different walks of life visited the camp where they were briefed by their communications teams about adopt cleanliness to fight diseases.

Waste must be carried and disposed in waste containers instead of being dumped in open plots, drains or nullahs as waste chokes drains and also help create an ideal place for breeding the dengue larvae.

Members of RWMC’s communications teams walked through the streets to speak with residents about cleanliness and creating a disease-free environment.

WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM APP

Published in The Express Tribune, November 9^th, 2019.