Dengue in Punjab: Death toll soars, 10 more dead

Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif issues directives for setting up of field hospitals in Punjab.

LAHORE:
At least ten people, including two women, lost their lives as a result of the dengue virus, taking the death toll in Punjab to 83, reported Express 24/7 reported on Saturday.

The number of patients in Punjab has reached more than 8,820, out of which 7,900 are in Lahore alone.

Rukhsana, a resident of Mian Mir Colony and a mother of three, died at the Services Hospital Lahore. Thirty-year-old Jehanzeb, an elite force commando deputed with the security of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, also succumbed to the virus.

CM orders setting up of field hospitals

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has issued directives for the setting up of field hospitals in Punjab to help with the treatment of dengue patients.

The decision was taken during a special meeting chaired by the chief minister to evaluate measures taken to combat the virus.

Addressing capacity concerns at hospitals, Sharif also directed the authorities to increase the number of technical staff by conducting walk-in interviews.


It was also noted in the meeting that more than 600 nurses have been hired and 18 new cell separator machines will be imported.

Sharif said that a team of experts will soon be arriving from Indonesia to help authorities in controlling the epidemic.

He said in the long run a hundred dispensaries will be set up to treat dengue patients for free throughout the year.

Special units established in hospitals to control dengue: DG health

During a briefing at King Edward Medical College, Director General (DG) Health Punjab Aslam Chaudhry said that special units have been established in six major hospitals of Lahore to combat the epidemic in the province.

Chaudhry told reporters that injections were being imported for the treatment of the virus and will be available at all government hospitals soon.

He said there are still more than 1,300 patients admitted in hospitals while around 9,000 patients have been released after treatment since the outbreak.
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