ISLAMABAD: The twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad reported 151 new cases of dengue fever on Tuesday.

District Health Officer (DHO) Islamabad Dr Zaeem Zia said that during the last 24 hours 91 patients — 50 cases from rural areas and 41 from urban areas — landed in hospitals of the twin cities. The DHO said 20 patients were admitted to Federal General Hospital, followed by 11 to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, four to Holy Family, three to Capital Hospital, two to Polyclinic and one each to Benazir Bhutto Hospital and District Headquarters Hospital Rawalpindi, while the remaining 49 patients to different private hospitals.

The dengue cases tally in capital reached to 3,083, he said, adding that out of the total 1,824 cases were reported from rural areas and 1,259 from urban areas.

Rawalpindi

As many as 60 dengue patients landed in three government run hospitals on Tuesday in the garrison city.

According to data of Rawalpindi Medical University (RMU), 31 new patients came to Holy Family Hospital, 18 to Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) and 11 to District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital.

RMU data said at present 255 patients were under treatment at three hospital including 148 at Holy Family Hospital, 27 at Benazir Bhutto Hospital and 80 at District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital.

On the other hand, rainwater has stagnated on main roads and parks and green belts in the garrison city. However, District Health Authority failed to launch a comprehensive fumigation plan in the city areas.

A senior official of the district administration told Dawn that the provincial government had asked the health authority to conduct fumigation where it was necessary.

However, he said the fumigation drive was not launched in and around the low lying areas of the city.

The senior official said district administration had asked all the private housing societies in the district to conduct fumigation in their respective areas.

He said mosquitoes would now enter warm houses and there was the need to adopt safety measures.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2021