RAWALPINDI: Commissioner Noorul Amin Mengal on Tuesday said dengue surveillance would be intensified in the city.

In view of the forecast of rains, he directed officials concerned to take immediate steps to not allow water to accumulate on roads, streets and low lying areas in order to prevent breeding of dengue mosquitoes. He asked the health department to pay special attention to indoor and outdoor surveillance and directed dengue and polio teams to warn people in the field to follow precautionary measures.

Also, in view of the increase in cases of the deadly virus, steps should be taken to administer vaccine doses to people. He expressed these views while presiding over a meeting on dengue, Covid-19 and congo virus.The meeting was attended by District Health Authority Chief Executive Officer Dr Lubna Ishaq, District Health Officer Dr Ehsan Ghani, Focal Person for Epidemiology Dr Sajjad and other officers concerned.

The commissioner said in view of the threat of Covid-19, standard operating procedures (SOPs) should be followed strictly in cattle markets.

Giving a briefing on the occasion, participants of the meeting were informed that 12 dengue patients have been reported in the city this year.During the last one week, 78,018 hotspots were checked in open spaces, out of which 56 were found to have dengue mosquitoes.

Similarly 170,744 houses were checked in indoor and vector surveillance out of which 809 were found with the mosquitoes.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2022