Dengue threat high in September, October

The provincial health and education ministries have declared September and October as dangerous for the spread of dengue virus fever.

The government has instructed the district administration to expedite efforts to find and cull the larvae of Aedes Aegypti type of mosquito that cause the dengue fever. Elimination of dengue larvae can mitigate the danger of an epidemic.

The provincial government has also instructed third-party surveys in areas declared clear by the anti-dengue surveillance teams.

Further, the education department has decided to impose a ban on half sleeves shirts and shorts in schools expected to reopen from September 15.

Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner (DC) Anwarul Haq has also ordered a strict inspection of all sites including 60 sensitive spots in the Rawalpindi district. The holidays of anti-dengue workers have been suspended for two months.

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DC has instructed to spray chemicals for killing dengue larvae in all schools and educational institutions in the district too. The school heads have been directed to contact health department teams for spraying activity in their respective schools.

Haq has directed the Assistant Commissioners (ACs) and heads of related institutions to inspect sites regularly that have been declared clear by anti-dengue teams.

DC has also issued red notices to the supervisors of all dengue teams that there would be strict action against them if mosquito larvae were found during third party surveys.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 4^th, 2020.