Dengue positive cases rise to 128 in Pindi

Teams of experts to identify sites providing breeding ground for mosquitoes.

RAWALPINDI:

The number of confirmed dengue patients in Rawalpindi has rose to 128, with 89 of them from different areas of the city.

On the other hand, the district administration in its continuous efforts to curb the epidemic has established two teams of entomologist to carry out the study about sites sheltering the eggs of dengue mosquito.

According to the data of dengue patients obtained from the three public hospitals of the city, Holy Family Hospital, Benazir Bhutto Hospital and District Headquarter Hospital, the highest number of patients are from Rawal Town, with 48 confirmed cases. Further details reveal that eight cases each have come from Potohar Town and Gujar Khan and two cases each have come from Taxila, Kahuta and Kallar Syedan. Cantonment areas have provided 22 cases.

The remaining patients are from Islamabad, Attock, Haripur and Chakwal.

On Wednesday, 35 more suspected cases of dengue were reported from the hospitals of the city.

District Coordination Officer Saqib Zaffar however expressed his satisfaction over progress on the issue and said that majority of the patients had gone home after successful treatment and no death so far had been reported from Rawalpindi areas.

Talking about different preventive measures by the district administration, the DCO said they had learnt a few new things after having a meeting with Sri Lankan experts in Lahore last week.

He said two teams of experts from agriculture department had been set up to carryout a study to ascertain the sites where the eggs and larva of dengue was present in the city.

“This will enable the authorities to destroy the safe havens of dengue mosquitoes so that we can preempt further spread,” he said.

The DCO further added, “After the meeting with foreign experts we have started clearing the garbage dumping sites as these could be the potential breeding place for dengue.”

The concerned DCO said October would not be an easy month as the studies had showed more cases in this month every year.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 29^th, 2011.