Federal government decides to probe into dengue outspread

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to hold investigation into the outspread of dengue fever among citizens from international institutions, ARY News reported on Sunday.

Sources told ARY News that the federal government has decided to contact global institutions for holding an investigation into dengue spreading fast across the country.

In this connection, the health authorities will seek assistance from the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the United States (US) and Sri Lanka.

Ministry of National Health Services sources said that the international experts will visit affected areas in all provinces and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) to open research on dengue larvae and its virus to ascertain the cause of the mosquito-borne disease.

Read: Effective measures being adopted to control dengue fever: Zafar Mirza

The decision was taken after the formal approval of Dr Zafar Mirza, the Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health, for initiating an investigation into dengue outspread by global experts.

It is pertinent to mention here that the more than 16,000 dengue cases had been reported across the country this year, whereas, more than 6,000 cases were reported from Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Earlier on Saturday, it emerged that the owners were penalised and cracked down under the ‘dengue act’ after the determination of places apt for dengue to breed and multiply.

The action was taken in areas of sector G-11, I-8, and sector 9 of the capital yesterday.

Assistant Commissioner presided over the operations, according to details 14 FIRs have thus far been registered against owners of places found to be littered with dengue larvae.

Section 144 (Dengue Act) was set in motion and those found involved were fined up to Rs30,000 as a penalty.