Winter brings respite from dengue

The winter has curbed the spread of dengue in the Rawalpindi district, bringing the outbreak under control. In the last 24 hours, only 15 dengue patients were admitted to city hospitals.

The district administration and health department have officially ended the dengue emergency and dengue season starting Sunday, December 1.

With the season-ending, a decision has been made to terminate 1,000 temporary dengue workers hired on daily wages and contracts. This year, Rawalpindi recorded a total of 6,518 dengue cases, two Congo virus cases, and 671 measles cases.

Since January 1, dengue has caused 12 deaths. Authorities registered 6,184 cases for the presence of dengue larvae, sealed 1,897 properties, and issued 3,680 fines. A total of Rs23.2 million in penalties were imposed, the highest in three years, setting a new record for fines, FIRs, and property sealing.

In 2022, 3,040 cases were registered, 681 properties were sealed, and Rs10.8m fines were imposed, while health authorities lodged 4,438 cases, sealed 642 properties, and issued fines amounted to Rs11.5m. From January 1 to November 29, 2024, the tally surged with 6,184 cases, 1,897 property seals, and fines totalling Rs23.2m.

At present, 56 dengue patients remain admitted to government hospitals, with 11 in critical condition.