Punjab records 630 suspected dengue cases in a day

While the threat of coronavirus is not over yet, the dengue fever has started to raise its head across Punjab.

One confirmed dengue patient and 630 suspected cases of dengue fever were reported in the province on Saturday.

Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department statistics show that a new dengue fever patient was reported in Toba Tek Singh, following which the total number of confirmed cases in the province since January reached 51. The data shows that 48 patients have been discharged from hospitals after recovery, while three are under treatment in different hospitals.

A spokesperson for the Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department indicated that the authorities had put all suspected cases under surveillance and were conducting their medical tests and treatment. He disclosed that dengue larva had been found at 9,271 spots in the province during the past week.

Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Secretary Capt (retd) Muhammad Usman highlighted that no causality had been reported owing to dengue fever during the current year. He appealed to citizens to keep their surroundings clean and dry to contain the growth of dengue larva. He requested citizens to register complaints at phone number 1033 if dengue surveillance teams failed to reach their location.

Meanwhile, Lahore Division Commissioner Zulfiqar Ahmed Ghumman directed the officials concerned to start a comprehensive and massive anti-dengue campaign to sensitise citizens about this viral disease. He underlined that the months of September and October were critical to contain the spread of dengue virus.

He instructed the authorities to put all efforts in indoor and outdoor anti-dengue activities and surveillance. Though coronavirus cases have started to decrease, the threat is still looming. He directed the local administrations to check all dispensaries, basic and rural health facilities in their jurisdiction and ensure delivery of quality healthcare services to the people.

Reacting over the increase in dengue virus cases, several citizens complained that the inability of the authorities concerned had heightened the risk of an outbreak in the province. A resident of Township, Abdul Ghafoor, highlighted that rainwater was stagnant in all grounds and parks in his neighbourhood for the past several days but no government agency was paying attention to these breeding grounds of dengue virus.

A China Scheme resident, Muhammad Ehsan, pointed out that knee-high water was standing in empty plots and opens spaces in his area. Despite numerous complaints, no government official had visited the area to clear it of accumulated water, he said. “The chief minister, ministers and senior government officials are just making statements on media but no practical works is being done on the ground,” he alleged.

Following increase in number of dengue fever cases, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar had also expressed concern on the issue recently. He directed the officials concerned to run an anti-dengue campaign across the province. He said the provincial health department and local administrations would have to work hard to rein in the disease.

He instructed all divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners to monitor dengue surveillance drives. He also said that the dengue surveillance plan should be implemented in letter and spirit and made it clear that he would personally monitor the steps taken in this regard.

He stated that standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the eradication of dengue and polio had been devised in the light of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) guidelines and their implementation was necessary to achieve the targets.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 6^th, 2020.