RAWALPINDI: As many as 15 dengue patients landed in government-run hospitals in the garrison city on Thursday taking the total number of patients to 113. Half of them arrived in the hospitals during the last one week.

Sensing the situation, the District Health Authority deployed a dengue laboratory vehicle at Chak Jalaldin as the area has been badly affected by the virus. Three areas in Chak Jalaldin are virus hotspots due to presence of cattle pens and main drain.

The new patients arrived in Holy Family Hospital, Benazir Bhutto Hospital and District Headquarters Hospital.

As many as 12 patients arrived from Potohar Town, one each from Dhama Syedan and Dhamial, three from Lakhan, seven from Chak Jalaldin while one each from Bagha Sheikhan, Potohar (rural) and one each from Kashmir and Chakwal.

Talking to Dawn, Rawalpindi District Health Authority Chief Executive Officer Dr Anser Ishaq said that the teams were working day and night towards controlling the situation.

He said that the number of patients in the garrison city had increased as so far 68 patients arrived from Potohar Town, 15 from Kahuta, 11 from Rawalpindi Cantonment Board, seven from Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation, four from Chaklala Cantonment Board, four each from Taxila and Potohar Town and one from Gujar Khan.

He said that this year, dengue patients also arrived from rural areas but in the past, many would arrive from urban areas. Dr Ishaq said thatdenguelarvae were found in 456 houses and 43 commercial spots while during campaign, more than 1,000 houses and commercial sites had been checked.

He said 20 first information reports (FIRs) had been lodged, six sites sealed, 34 challans issued and 80 notices served while fines amounting to Rs80,500 were imposed on those who failed to adopt safety measures despite repeated warnings.

He said that the spraying and fogging would be conducted twice a day, adding the district administration would make sure that the virus did not spread in other parts of the city.

There was a dire need to involve the community in the anti-dengue campaign carried out in the city so mosquitoes and larvae could be eliminated, he said that people should adopt safety measures and keep windows of their homes closed.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2022