Anti-dengue drive intensified

The Rawalpindi health department has intensified the drive to eradicate the dengue larvae by deploying 2,500-member teams as the risk of dengue outbreak has increased due to four consecutive days of rains in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Health department sources said that the dengue larvae were found in 7,653 houses in June during indoor surveillance carried out by the anti-dengue teams in the district.

Dengue larvae were also found in 211 outdoor spots which were immediately eradicated and a warning was issued to the owners of the relevant properties where the larvae were found to ensure the non-breeding of larvae again.

During the anti-dengue campaign, 9,476 hotspots across the district were confirmed for dengue larvae this year.

Surprisingly, 6,445 dengue larvae hotspots could not be visited so far which has made the situation alarming. The health department's special teams have been tasked to eradicate dengue larvae by visiting unattended dengue hotspots.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 24^th, 2022.