RAWALPINDI: Another 31 dengue patients landed in the garrison city’s hospitals taking the patients tally to 338.

As many as 107 dengue patients are admitted in three government run hospital including 39 in Holy Family Hospital, 32 in District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital and 36 patients in Benazir Bhutto Hospital.

Total 89 dengue patients arrived from Rawalpindi, 16 from Islamabad and two from Chakwal.

From Rawalpindi, eight patients are from Dhama Syedan, seven from Chak Jalaldin, two each from Kahuta and Shikrial North and one patient each from Katarian, I.J. Principal Road, Muslim Town, New Parian, Mohanpura, cantonment of Chaklala and Rawalpindi, Chak Beli Khan, Dhamial, Morgah and Lakhan and adjoining areas.

According to District Health Authority official, total 1,166 FIRs lodged against the violators of dengue standard operating procedures from January to August 28, 375 shops and outlets sealed, 1,307 challan issued while Rs3.4 million fine imposed on violators.

25 shops sealed

The district administration on Sunday afternoon sealed 25 shops of clothes and shoes in Saddar in its ongoing campaign to eliminate dengue.

Assistant Commissioner (Saddar) Aneesha Hashim checked Zarkoon Plaza on Sunday afternoon and found violation of dengue standard operating procedures (SOPs) on the rooftop of the shopping mall.

Cantonment Traders Association Secretary General Zafar Qadri told Dawn that the district administration’s action against traders was unjustified as the shops which had been sealed were located on the ground floor and it had nothing to do with the roof of the shopping plaza.

He said that in Saddar, every unit of the shopping mall is responsible for its own area, adding that the roof of the shopping mall is responsibility of the owner of the commercial building and the administration should take action against the owner instead of shop owners.

He said that the district administration and officials were trying to show performance while sealing shops without any justification.

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2022