At least 94 new dengue cases surfaced in Rawalpindi and Islamabad during the last 24 hours, taking the total number of infected patients to 369 in the twin cities has reached 369, with three fatalities.
According to the Islamabad District Health Office (DHO), 369 dengue cases have been reported so far in the twin cities. Of these, 145 patients were brought to Holy Family Hospital (HFH), 43 to Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH), and six to the Rawalpindi District Headquarters Hospital.
The DHO office report said that 39 dengue patients were brought to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and 40 to Polyclinic Hospital (PCH). Over 100 dengue infections have also come at private healthcare facilities, the report said.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Metrological Department (PMD) has issued a dengue alert for October and November in different cities of the country, including Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The alert said the dengue virus has fortified its roots and infected thousands of people in the last couple of years.
It added that the post-monsoon season, from September 20 to December 5, is ideal for the growth of dengue larvae. It said that the temperature span during this period stays between 26 to 29 degrees Celcius and the humidity is around 60 per cent. The growth of dengue mosquito larvae comes to a stop when the temperature slides below 16 degrees Celcius.
The PMD official said the two hours before sunset and two hours before sunrise have a high probability of dengue attacks.
Read CM orders panel to coordinate dengue fight
He suggested all stakeholders take preemptive measures to curtail the dengue larvae growth. The national health agencies and dengue control centres have been advised to stay in link with PMD.
Meanwhile, 58 new dengue-infected patients were admitted to three allied hospitals of Rawalpindi while the number of under-treatment patients has surged to 277.
Some 341 patients have been discharged from healthcare facilities after getting infected with the mosquito-borne disease. Most of the new patients reported from Rawalpindi hail from Rawalpindi and Chaklala cantonment boards.
However, the new infections mostly belong to Islamabad or outside of Rawalpindi city.
The Rawalpindi administration sealed a junkyard, a tyre shop, and an under-construction building during the anti-dengue drive. The district administration has directed the health department to expedite the anti-dengue campaign for the eradication of mosquito larvae.
Two more coronavirus patients die
Meanwhile, in Rawalpindi, two more people died of coronavirus in the last 24 hours.
Both patients succumbed to the virus at Rawalpindi Institute of Urology and Kidney Transplant.
The number of patients under treatment in three hospitals is 81, with 67 of them were on oxygen and 14 on ventilators. On the other hand, at least 524 Covid-19 infected citizens are observing home isolation. More than 2.6 million people have been vaccinated so far in the Rawalpindi district.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 1st, 2021.
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