Rising dengue cases ring alarm bells
Given the threat of the garrison city becoming the fourth after Lahore, Multan and Faisalabad in terms of dangerous dengue situations in the province, the District Health Authority has formed and mobilised teams, comprising 2,800 personnel for dengue surveillance, larvae search and spray.
The scope of the dengue awareness campaign has been widened with intensified surveillance and larvae detection process in the current situation in the Rawalpindi district after 18 dengue-positive patients were discharged from the three major hospitals following treatment and 16 more were admitted with suspected dengue symptoms.
Among the dengue-positive patients, three belong to the Chaklala Cantonment Board, one each to Gujar Khan, Kahuta, Kotli Sattian and Potohar Town Rural-1, two to Potohar Pir Urban while six belong to five Union Councils of the Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation.
Among them, dengue virus has been confirmed in one person from UC-30 Chah Sultan, two from UC-37 Dhok Dalal, one from UC-4 Dhok Mingtal, one from UC-5 Dhok Hassu Shumali (North) and one from UC-Dhok Hassu Junubi (South).
It should be noted that in the first week of July 2021, there were two dengue patients in Rawalpindi, while in 2022, 11 patients were reported and now in 2023, 18 dengue patients have been reported.
During the anti-dengue campaign, a large number of dengue larvae were found in open houses and junkyards and under-construction houses and tyre shops, which have been culled.
Rawalpindi has adopted a joint strategy with the administration of the federal capital in the anti-dengue campaign under which the administrations of both cities have started their dengue surveillance campaign based on Captain Colonel Sher Khan Road, which is the border between the twin cities from Faizabad to Peshawar Road.
District Health Officer Dr Ehsan Ghani says that although the number of dengue patients is not unusual at this time, there is a risk of dengue growth due to the early onset of monsoon and hot and humid weather.
Rawalpindi maybe fourth after Lahore, Multan and Faisalabad in terms of dangerous situations regarding dengue, for which, on the one hand, in addition to spreading awareness in the anti-dengue campaign, the services of 1,500 more officials have been hired besides the already existing 1,300 officials for larvae detection and dengue surveillance, he explained.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 13th, 2023.