PESHAWAR: The authorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Tuesday declared five districts as high-risk zones in the wake of a surge in dengue cases.

According to the health department, Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi, Charsadda and Battagram districts have been declared as the high-risk zones.

Meanwhile, the number of people affected with dengue has reached to 165 in the province, the health authorities said, adding in Peshawar district 38 cases of dengue infection were reported followed by Mardan with 32 cases, Swabi 19 cases, Charsadda 14 cases and Battagram with 12 dengue cases.

Till date, the authorities said the dengue fever cases had been reported from 20 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A few cases were reported from Bannu, Hangu, Lakki Marwat, Khyber, Torghar and Haripur in the last couple of days.

Meanwhile, additional deputy commissioner relief and dengue focal person Mohammad Imran Khan chaired a meeting attended by district health officers, representatives of line departments and entomologists on Tuesday to devise a strategy for the prevention and control of dengue fever.

The forum noted that most of the patients, who had a travel history, were affected by dengue in Peshawar. It directed all the additional assistant commissioners to conduct dengue field activities in their respective areas and establish strong liaison with medical entomologists and the line departments for effective dengue management and case response.

Medical entomologists were directed to coordinate with AACs in their assigned areas regarding anti-dengue activities and ensure their presence in the field for case response.

The representatives of the education department were tasked to conduct mass dengue awareness sessions and walks in the schools, especially during morning assemblies.

The forum asked the entomologists to highlight high-risk UCs and initiate thorough mechanical sweep with the help of line departments to eliminate dengue mosquito larvae from those areas.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2023