MINGORA, Aug 22: There are fears that the high dengue incidence in Swat district will cause shortage of beds and medicines at Saidu Sharif Teaching Hospital.

In light of the arrival of dengue suspects and victims in large numbers, the hospital has already designated ‘Medical-B Ward’ as dengue unit.

An official of the hospital said the hospital had received 300 kits for dengue screening test a few days ago and had requested the provincial director general (health services) for more besides other resources.

He said the Medical-B Ward had 62 beds and if more dengue patients showed up, there could a shortage of medicine, kits and other resources.

Dr Wasil Khan, in charge of the medical ward, said 15 more people had tested positive for dengue, increasing the number of the mosquito-borne disease cases to 45 in the district.

He said dengue cases were first reported in Mingora city but the people of far-flung rural areas, including Matta, Ghwariju, Charbagh and Khwazakhela, had begun suffering from the disease.

Dr Wasil said of the fresh dengue cases, five were women and 11 men and that 38 patients were under treatment.

“We have nine women and 29 men as dengue patients at Medical Ward-B,” he said.

When contacted, Chief Executive of Saidu Sharif Teaching Hospital Professor Taj Mohammad Khan said they were providing the best possible treatment to dengue patients.

He said the number of dengue cases could increase in the next few days and if that happened, then, the hospital would struggle to attend to all visitors with dengue.

Dr Iftikhar, who works on the dengue prevention side, said the administration had detected larva of dengue-causing mosquitoes on Kas Road in Mingora city during inspection of auto-workshops and tyre shops.

A health expert said the administration should have begun anti-mosquito spray campaign in March or even before the flooding situation in Swat district and that the ongoing campaign was unlikely to produce the desired results.

“I think the government should focus its attention on motivating the people for conducting dengue test,” he said.

The expert said the number of dengue cases could increase but the situation was not alarming.