TAXILA: Despite the fact that five dengue cases have been reported in the area, authorities have failed to conduct larvicide sprinkling across 97 hotspots of the city, including water reservoirs and marshy areas.
According to sources in the local health department, five patients have been registered with the health department so far who are under treatment at various government health centres, including Rawalpindi. Several suspected cases are also being treated in various private hospitals in Taxila and Wah. Dengue cases have been reported from residential areas of ward 7, ward 8, ward 9 and union council Wah in Wah Cantonment and union council Sarai Kala in Taxila.
A large number of patients especially children and women are being treated at houses in these areas while patients with complications are being treated in public and private hospitals of the area.
According to sources, within these areas, as many as 97 breeding sites have been identified including 15 in Union Council (UC) Jalla, 14 in UC Gari Sikandar, eight in UC Thatta Khalil and five in UC Khurram Paracha.
The health department is responsible for sprinkling six union councils in rural areas, while TMA is responsible for four union councils in urban centers. However, despite the growing threat of the dengue spread in the area, both departments have failed to carry out sprinkling on time as such practice was carried out only in papers as no physical activity was carried out in the twin cities especially hotbed areas so far.
When contacted, Tehsil Entomologist Mian Israr Ali confirmed that five dengue positive patients had been recorded with the health department so far. He said indoor and outdoor surveillance to check dengue spread was underway in commercial and residential areas especially at the areas where dengue positives are reported as well as junkyards- the most vulnerable sites for dengue breeding. Responding to a question, he said that indoor residual spray activity was done on a daily basis where positive larvae were reported in Taxila and Wah.
Responding to a question, he said that prevention of the disease was the government’s priority, and the district health administration was working day and night to avoid the possible outbreak of the infection. He also advised the citizens to adopt preventive measures.
Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2026
