LAHORE, Oct 6: Seven people fell prey to the fatal dengue on Thursday, while the Punjab health department that is constantly misreporting dengue fever and death cases, stated that only two deaths have been recorded.

The health department reported that Usman, son of Abdul Ghafoor, and Aziz Begum, 70, died of dengue hemorrhagic fever at Mayo Hospital. Investigation revealed that five other people – Babar, 40, Riaz, 70, Muhammad Sadiq, 70, Shakila Agha, 62, and Aqsa Fatima, 20 fell prey to dengue.

It is learnt that 503 new cases have been reported, including 88 cases at Mayo Hospital, 49 at Ganga Ram Hospital, 36 at Institute of Public Health, 42 at Services Hospital, 38 at Shaikh Zayed Hospital, 43 at Jinnah Hospital, 16 at Lahore General Hospital and 22 at Children’s Hospital. As many as 169 cases have been reported in the private sector.

In all, as many as 23,805 dengue cases and 193 dengue deaths have so far been reported in Lahore.

Meanwhile, the Punjab health department has notified Dengue Control Regulations 2011 under the Punjab Epidemic Control Act to strengthen its hands for taking steps and binding people and institutions to follow orders and take measures to eliminate the virus.

Giving a briefing to media persons at the King Edward Medical University committee room on Thursday, Punjab Health Secretary Jahanzeb Khan said the dengue control regulations would remain enforced till Nov 30 and, in the meantime, necessary legislation would be made.

Under these regulations, the secretary said, owners of godowns of tyres, workshops, nurseries and construction places would be bound to destroy all such items that could cause spread of dengue larvae. He said the sewerage system would be improved by clearing all sewage pipes and drains.

He said artificial ponds would also be dried at least once a week for checking the spread of dengue. The regulations would also authorise the health department officials to enter any premises for spray as well as inspection.

They would also be able to register cases against those found violating instructions. He said educational institutions had also been directed to take steps for checking of breeding of mosquitoes and launch awareness campaign among students.

Mr Khan said the early detection of DHF could help prevent severe consequences. He said a senior professors’ committee headed by Prof Dr Faisal Masood had developed a booklet to educate people about detecting early warning signs. He said some 2,000 booklets had been distributed among private practitioners and family physicians in Lahore to take informed decisions while examining patients.

He said a health hotline 0800-99000 had also been established for the guidance of private practitioners and family physicians with regard to treatment of dengue patients. He said the professors’ committee was also sharing experiences of their respective teaching hospitals with regard to the treatment of dengue patients.

He said the teaching hospitals’ administrations had also been authorised to recruit doctors, nurses and paramedics. He said fumigators had been recruited to carry out sprays in all localities.

Answering a question about the incident of robbery at a trader’s house in which the gang came under the garb of fumigation team, Mr Khan said the incident was very serious and added that the health department would now issue identification cards to the fumigation team members.

Answering another question, he said there was opportunity in every crisis and added that doctors, nurses and paramedics were being recruited against the seats lying vacant.KEMU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Asad Aslam Khan, Director-General Health Punjab Dr Muhammad Aslam Chaudhry and Mayo Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Zahid Pervaiz were also present.