RAWALPINDI: The District Health Authority (DHA) has observed Kahuta and Chak Jalaldin to be hotspots for dengue cases as 10 patients reported to hospitals from these areas in the last one week.

Of the total 21 cases in the district so far this year, 11 were reported between January and June and 10 in the last one week - all from Kahuta and Chak Jalaldin.

District Coordinator Epidemics Prevention and Control Dr Sajjad Mehmood told Dawn that this year most of the patients were coming from Kahuta and Chak Jalaldin, adding in the past urban areas used to be the hotspots.

He said in Kahuta, people stored rainwater for drinking and other purposes and the dengue larvae were found there. Teams have been sent to clear the areas from dengue mosquitoes, he added.

He said the health authority was working to ensure preventive measures and kill the dengue larvae, but the rains had hampered its efforts. He said the recent rains had put the health authority in a difficult situation.

Dr Mehmood said on the directives of Commissioner Noorul Amin Mengal, 4,000 focal persons had been appointed in the public and private sectors, who were responsible to remove stagnant water in their respective areas.

All departments were helping the health department in its efforts to check the spread of dengue. He said the government had provided 25 de-watering sets to the health department to drain out water from different places.

He said the health authority had also asked cantonment and city authorities and Pakistan railways to improve the sanitation condition in their respective areas and colonies and drain out water from vacant plots.

He said around 90 dengue fever suspects had been brought to the district’s health facilities during the last 24 hours, out of which one tested positive at the Holy Family Hospital, three were probable and one was non-dengue.

He said Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Kallar Syedan had registered 27 suspected dengue patients, District Headquarters Hospital 15, Holy Family Hospital 14, Wah General Hospital eight, THQ hospitals Kahuta and Gujar Khan six and THQ Kotli Sattian five cases in the last 24 hours.

Moreover, THQ hospitals Murree and Taxila have listed four suspects. Dr Mehmood said it would be premature to say if the number of dengue patients had increased this year.

“We will be in a position in next two weeks to say if the number of patients has increased or not,” he said.

“We have made arrangements to deal with any situation. There are enough medicines in the health facilities in the tehsils and the three main hospitals in Rawalpindi where dengue wards have been made operational,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2022