SWABI, Sept 10: District health department has established an isolation ward in the Bacha Khan Hospital Complex Shahmansoor to deal with possible outbreak of dengue fever in the district, sources told Dawn on Saturday.

The sources said officials of the district administration and health department held several meetings to take various measures to prevent the spread of dengue fever. The administrations of other neighbouring districts were also urged to take preventive measures.

Health officials said the isolation ward could accommodate several patients at a time, adding, the good omen was that so far not a single case of dengue fever was reported from any part of the district.

However, the sources said health department was facing funds shortage to effectively deal with the situation.

Doctors in district headquarters and Bacha Khan Hospital Complex said the prevention of dengue fever required anti-mosquito spray, removal of stagnant water from old tyres, trash cans and flower pots, wearing of full-sleeve shirts and pants and using mosquito repellent sprays while visiting areas already hit by dengue fever.

When contacted, district health officer Dr Gul Mohammad said they had also started fumigating the congested areas with anti-mosquito spray, starting from Jahangira area and its suburbs. He said fumigation would also be carried out in Tordher, Chota Lahor, Swabi, Topi and Razar tehsils.

Meanwhile, people complained that the district health department woke up to the situation only when reports of dengue fever cases were received from Peshawar.