Consolidated efforts underway to control spread of dengue: Zafar Mirza

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Health Services Dr. Zafar Mirza says all-out measures are being taken to control the spread of dengue.

Talking to media on Sunday, he said our focus is on areas where most dengue cases are reported in Rawalpindi, Islamabad and adjoining areas. He said monitoring is being done in areas of Potohar region on a daily basis, Radio Pakistan reported.

Dr Zafar Mirza said preventive measures including sprays are being done in areas where there are reports of dengue prevalence. He said teams have further been reinforced with new staff.

The federal government has decided to hold the 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.

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.