LAHORE, April 12: Dengue fever (mosquito-borne viral disease) is back with three fresh cases which have been reported from different parts of the city. Three patients were admitted to the Ganga Ram Hospital, the Shaikh Zayed Hospital and the Lahore General Hospital this month and had reportedly been discharged after treatment.

Lahore EDO (Health) Dr Inamul Haq confirmed the cases, saying the City District Government Lahore had already launched residual spray in the areas where such cases had been reported. He said a team, headed by an epidemic control officer, had been dispatched to the affected areas for survey as well.

Dr Haq said the patients did not have the symptoms of Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF) which was more dangerous than the ordinary dengue fever. There is difference between dengue fever and DHF in that the latter is known as viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF) which can cause death.

He explained that the patients who recovered from dengue fever were vulnerable to the disease. “On a second exposure to the virus the antibodies facilitate viral entry into the body defence cells known as macrophages where the virus grows rapidly.”

Dr Haq said the people who had contracted dengue fever previously must take precautionary measures as they were vulnerable to catch DHF.

Doctors want the provincial government to launch an awareness campaign forthwith and also a fumigation campaign across the province, especially in the areas where such cases were reported last year.

It is learnt that the Punjab Health Department has directed all the EDOs (health) and heads of the public-sector hospitals to inform it when a case involving diseases like dengue, malaria, gastroenteritis, cholera, severe acute respiratory syndrome, polio and measles was reported there so that it could send special teams for survey.

The department has also asked the administrations of the district and tehsil headquarters hospitals to be on the alert.

According to doctors, dengue fever is caused by a specific mosquito that bites humans during daylight, especially around the time of sunrise and sunset. The breeding of such mosquitoes takes place only in clean water containers like drums and buckets.

A dengue patient initially feels flue-like symptoms and afterwards suffers from high fever, headache, eye pain, severe joint and muscular pain, nausea, vomiting and skin rashes.

They say the people should take measures like keeping water containers, including tanks, drums and buckets, covered. Flowerbeds and pots should be kept dry and anti-mosquito coils and mats used, especially at sunset and sunrise.

Covering of whole body at sunset and sunrise, use of mosquito repellent lotions on the exposed parts of the body and mosquito nets while sleeping indoor and outdoor are also suggested.