84 more dengue virus cases surface

At least 84 more dengue infections were reported in Rawalpindi in the last 24 hours, making the total tally reach 2,386 cases. The influx of patients has increased in both government and private hospitals using up almost 50% of bed capacity.

As per reports, patients under treatment have expressed their satisfaction with the quality of treatment being provided in hospitals.

Three of the patients, Mohammad Azhar, Shahid Mehmood, and Shabbir Ahmed (admitted to BBH) said that the best treatment facilities were being given to them. They said that only after half an hour of their arrival in the hospital premises, anti-dengue spraying and fogging began outside their houses, in the streets, and in all the empty plots near their houses.

Additional MS Benazir Bhutto General Hospital Dr Inayat has said that there is a need to increase awareness regarding dengue among the masses.

Citizens must avoid water getting accumulated inside and outside their houses, wear full-sleeve clothes, and use indoor sprays and mosquito nets, he added. He claimed that anyone who takes precautionary measures will stay protected from dengue infection.

Currently, around 265 patients are under treatment on 404 beds in three allied hospitals of Rawalpindi including 113 dengue patients in Benazir Bhutto General Hospital, 70 patients in Holy Family, and 82 patients in District Headquarters Hospital. There are 49 more patients admitted to these hospitals who belong to the federal capital.

It has been observed that dengue is intensifying in Cantt areas of the garrison city. In this regard, an anti-dengue campaign is in full swing with carpet fogging being carried out in areas such as Dhaman Syedan and Chak Jalal Din as they have been reported to be dengue spots, and the majority of the infections are being reported in these two areas. So far, two patients have lost their lives to this vector-borne dengue disease.

According to the health department, dengue case response has reached 100%. Chief Executive District Health Authority Dr Ansar Ishaq claimed that those areas which reported even one case of dengue are being fogged thoroughly in order to limit the spread of dengue.

Anti-dengue drive sped up

Islamabad health administration has sped up anti-dengue drive to stop the spread of larvae which were found during the ongoing surveillance.

Over 2,000 dengue infections have been reported, said District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Zaeem Zia on Saturday.

While talking to the media, he also appealed to the citizens to take early precautionary measures and destroy the breeding sites of dengue mosquitoes. He said that these mosquitoes breed in stagnant water and are responsible for the spread of dengue fever in the city.

He said that the health services directorate of CDA has geared up efforts against the virus, adding that the city was divided into different zones with the deployment of field teams. The surveillance and monitoring teams were constantly visiting respective sectors' green areas, slums, mosques, markets, shops, and residential streets to explore hot spots and high-risk areas where the dengue mosquitoes can potentially breed, he added.

An awareness campaign through lady health workers is also being launched at all levels to make the anti-dengue campaign effective so that citizens can take the necessary precautionary measures to protect themselves from dengue fever. The health authorities have been strictly directed to utilize all available resources to control the spread of dengue in all neighbourhood areas of the capital city, he added. Special teams have also been formed on an emergency basis in view of the possible spread of dengue mosquitoes, he mentioned.

With additional input from APP

Published in The Express Tribune, October 2^nd, 2022.