Twin cities see uptick in dengue cases

Over 200 more cases of vector-borne disease surface in 24 hours

RAWALPINDI:

Despite the decrease in temperatures, the twin cities continue to see an uptick in the number of dengue virus cases as 218 more people landed in hospitals in Rawalpindi and Islamabad during the last 24 hours.

According to data, the number of dengue-positive patients in the twin cities has reached 4,600 and government hospitals in the twin cities were struggling to arrange beds to cater to the increasing number of patients.

According to the statistics, 96 more suspected dengue cases were reported in Islamabad in the last 24 hours, taking the total toll of patients to 2,331. In Rawalpindi, 122 more suspected dengue patients were admitted to hospitals in the last 24 hours, taking the total toll to 2,300.

The administrations of the twin cities seemed to be perplexed at the number of rising cases despite carrying out the spray and fogging.

Earlier, health experts in a report had pinned hopes on the weather to turn around as the virus will die a natural death in cold weather but contrary to the expectations, the number of dengue patients was increasing with each passing day, which has dealt a debilitating blow to the efforts of the administrations in the twin cities.

According to the data, a total of 271 dengue patients were under treatment in the three allied hospitals in Rawalpindi and of them, 109 patients were under treatment at the Benazir Bhutto General Hospital, 69 at the Holy Family Hospital and 93 patients were under treatment at the District Headquarters Hospital Rawalpindi.

According to health officials, all three allied hospitals have enough medicine stock to cater to the needs of the patients and only patients with severe infections were being admitted to the hospitals and the rest were being sent home by prescribing medicine.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the district administration blamed the citizens’ carelessness and the violation of the SOPS for the rising number of cases. “As compared to the last three years, the number of dengue patients in Rawalpindi is less this year. The highest number of 1,202 cases have been reported in Potohar Town followed by 305 cases in Union Council Dhamman Syedan,” he added.

He said that so far 2,309 cases have been registered against citizens for negligence and 569 places have been sealed.

Meanwhile, a new special ward has been made operational at the Cantonment General Hospital in Rawalpindi to treat dengue patients. This ward will initially have 60 beds, which may be increased to 100 if needed. Dengue patients from Cantonment areas were now being treated at the Cantonment General Hospital regularly.

Earlier, a senior officer of the district administration told The Express Tribune that a team of anti-dengue experts was called from Lahore to assess the alarming situation of the dengue spread.

He said that the team visited more than 2,000 hotspots and evaluated the performance of anti-dengue teams. The team of experts has prepared a 72-page report on the deteriorating dengue situation in Rawalpindi stating that the dengue mosquito was rampant in the city, Cantonment and rural areas.

The report said that despite measures and intensive fogging, dengue mosquitoes could not be eradicated. It said that the current temperature and humidity in Rawalpindi was providing favourable conditions for dengue mosquitos to breed. The report said that if the weather turns around quickly and winter begins, the mosquito will die its natural death or migrate to warmer regions.

The senior officer said that the experts also carried out a comparison of dengue cases in Rawalpindi in the last five years and established the opinion that dengue may be more dangerous this time around.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 1^st, 2022.