67 dengue cases reported in Punjab in a day

LAHORE: 67 dengue cases have been reported across Punjab in a day, recording an alarming rise in the mosquito-borne disease amid the monsoon season, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

The Punjab health secretary confirmed that 67 dengue cases were reported in Punjab in 24 hours. The provincial health secretary Ali Jan Khan said that 1,042 cases were reported in 36 districts this year.

He detailed that 369 cases were reported in Lahore, whereas, 28 new cases emerged in the provincial capital yesterday.

Overall 165 dengue cases were reported in Rawalpindi this year. In Faisalabad, six new patients were diagnosed with the dengue virus.

The secretary added that 61 patients are currently admitted to different hospitals across Punjab including 36 in Lahore. The provincial authorities allocated 2,678 beds in the government hospitals for dengue patients.

Moreover, the dengue cases soared to 896 in Sindh this year while a massive rise in the spread of the mosquito-borne disease was witnessed in August.

A total of 731 dengue cases were reported across Sindh in August.

291 cases were reported in Karachi’s East district, 126 in Central, 79 in Korangi, 136 in South, 20 in West, 40 in Malir and 396 in Keamari.

103 cases were reported in Hyderabad, 31 in Mirpur Khas, 14 in Larkana, 13 in Sukkur and four in Shaheed Benazirabad.

NIH advisory

Earlier in the month, the National Institute of Health (NIH) issued an advisory amid a potential threat of an increase in dengue fever cases in the monsoon season, ARY News reported.

The advisory stated that the steep rise is witnessed in the monsoon season in the number of dengue virus cases for which a strong vigilant system is needed to control the rising number.

The authorities and masses have been advised to ensure the prevention of mosquitoes from accessing egg-laying habitats by environmental management and modification.

The domestic water storage containers should be covered and cleaned on a weekly basis to ensure that dengue larva is not taking place.

Insecidtices should be applied during outbreaks as one of the emergency vector-control measures.

Masses have been advised to wear clothes with full sleeves to avoid the threat of mosquito bites during the monsoon season.

Dengue virus is a mosquito-borne viral disease that has rapidly spread in recent years around the world. Dengue virus is transmitted by female mosquitoes mainly of the species Aedes aegypti and, to a lesser extent, Ae. albopictus.