Dengue outbreak looms

Rawalpindi is baffled to detect large number of dengue mosquito larvae at around 16,000 different locations

While the threat of Covid-19 has temporarily dwindled, Pakistan continues to face a host of dangerous diseases that resurge annually and adversely affect the health of citizens. In this regard, health officials in Rawalpindi were baffled to detect large number of dengue mosquito larvae at around 16,000 different locations — 15,601 houses and some 1,000 other localities — during indoor and outdoor surveillance campaigns. This alarming situation could lead to a deadly outbreak soon.

It is believed that these dengue larvae have been breeding in large scale during monsoon rains that saw many places inundated with water. Where there is stagnant water, dengue mosquitoes are bound to increase in number and become a health threat. The district has been carrying out anti-dengue campaigns but implementation has been lacking, as 99 locations were left out and fake activities were recorded in 377 other locations. Officials have taken timely action by registering FIRs, sealing buildings, issuing challans and enforcing dengue SOPs but a systematic action plan must be carried out to destroy breeding grounds at the earliest before these larvae mature. The ordeal also indicates the importance of draining rain water. With many provinces across Pakistan witnessing unprecedented levels of rain, dengue could very well escalate into a national health crisis.

Surveillance campaigns must be carried out across monsoon and flood affected areas to identify and destroy breeding grounds and curb future spread. Urban cities should issue dengue SOPs and officials must work towards draining the remaining water left in affected localities. Abandoned and empty buildings along with ponds, pools and other bodies of water must not be left unchecked. Mostly importantly, the healthcare sector must be notified and well-equipped to deal with any fallout.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 4^th, 2022.

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