RAWALPINDI: As many as 111 more dengue patients landed in the hospitals of Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Saturday.

In the garrison city, 57 dengue patients arrived in three government-run hospitals taking their tally to more than 501 in just two weeks.

The official data has not carried the patients admitted to private hospitals.

In previous years, the provincial government collected the data of dengue patients from all the laboratories and private clinics.

Three hospitals under administrative control of Rawalpindi Medical University are still following the standard operating procedures set by previous Punjab government and managed the patients effectively.

Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmeen Rashid has asked the health authority to collect data of the dengue patients from all private hospitals, clinics and laboratory.

According to sources, the dengue incidence was high in Rawalpindi compared to adjoining districts of Attock, Jhelum and Chakwal.

Residents of cantonment areas blamed district administration for rising number of cases.

They said the administration had failed to conduct fumigation in low lying areas especially in localities located near Leh Nullah which had been a breeding place for dengue mosquitoes.

Even, there was no surveillance conducted in government offices.

“Out of the total 501 patients arrived at outpatients departments of the three hospitals, 423 patients were discharged after getting treatment,” said Dr Sajjad Mahmood, District Coordinator Epidemics Prevention and Control.

He said the health department fumigated 9,016 houses and sprayed anti-dengue medicines in 6,514 houses.

During the last 24 hours, the teams checked 22 areas.

On the other hand, a senior doctor of Holy Family Hospital said that there was no letup in the dengue patients and it was expected that the number of the patients will increase in the coming days till next month.

Islamabad

District Health Officer Islamabad Dr Zaeem Zia said that 54 dengue cases were reported during the last 24 hours and out of them 38 were reported from rural areas and 16 from urban areas.

He said 15 of them are admitted to Holy Family Hospital, followed by nine to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), five to Polyclinic, two to District Headquarters Hospital Rawalpindi, and 23 at different private hospitals.

Out of the total 38 cases reported from rural areas, 21 were reported from Tarali, nine from Koral, five from Tarnol, two from Alipur, and one from Sohan, the DHO added. The tally of dengue fever in capital reached to 463 — 300 from rural areas and 163 from urban areas.

The District Health Office conducted 2401 houses indoor residual spray and 3,346 fogging activities in different areas of capital to prevent the spread and eliminate the potential breeding sites of larva, he said, adding that during the last 24 hours 1,489 houses were visited.

Besides, eight potential breeding sties were also eliminated, he added.

Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2021