PMD warns of 'critical' next two weeks amid surge in dengue cases

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) warned on Wednesday that the next two weeks will be "critical" as dengue infections continue to surge across the country.

Health institutions are reporting hundreds of new cases daily, with public and private hospitals overwhelmed by patients suffering from dengue symptoms, including fever and body aches.

Dengue, a viral infection transmitted through mosquito bites, has infected over 4,500 people in Punjab this year, while Sindh has reported approximately 1,600 cases, Islamabad 2,276, and Rawalpindi 3,220, according to official data.

"The next two weeks are critical as prevailing atmospheric factors are favouring a conducive environment for dengue," Dr. Zaheer Ahmed Babar, a director at the PMD said. He urged authorities to take pre-emptive measures to address the outbreak.

While dengue can be asymptomatic or mild, severe cases can result in death. The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) expressed concern over the rising number of cases, calling for urgent fumigation and sanitation efforts.

"Dengue is preventable, but it is spreading rapidly due to negligence," PMA Secretary-General Abdul Ghafoor Shoro said.

The PMD expects a decline in cases by November due to shifting meteorological conditions, while the federal government continues awareness campaigns and fumigation in affected areas.

A spokesperson for the health ministry, Sajid Hussain Shah, said the government is “fully vigilant” but assured that the disease is "no longer as fatal as it was in the past."

Shoro emphasised that early identification and efficient clinical management could reduce fatalities to less than one percent, adding that Pakistan faces the highest burden of vector-borne diseases in the region.