Punjab sees alarming rise in dengue cases

LAHORE: Dengue fever cases are rising in Punjab at an alarming rate as 508 more people were diagnosed with the mosquito-borne disease in the province during the past 24 hours.

Of the new cases, 373 were reported in Lahore alone, said Secondary Healthcare Department Imran Sikandar Baloch. He said Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Nankana Sahib reported 59, 10 and eight cases, respectively.

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At present, a total of 1,490 patients of the viral disease are being treated in hospitals across the province. As many as 5,709 cases have been reported thus far this year while 18 people have died of dengue fever.

An alarming rise in dengue fever cases has set alarm bells ringing in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Sindh and Islamabad.

The city most affected is Lahore that has reported all four strains of the virus, including DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, DENV-4.

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Health experts have warned that the number of cases and critical patients are likely to increase in the days to come.