As many as 832 more people were diagnosed with the dengue fever in Punjab, Islamabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) during the last 24 hours, taking the total number of patients of the virus in the country to 16,884, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Saturday.

So far 40 people have lost their lives to the virus in the country since the beginning of the ongoing dengue season.

118 patients in Islamabad

Around 118 more people of Islamabad were diagnosed with the dengue fever during the last 24 hours, taking the total number of patients of the virus in the city 2, 721. 

According to the District Health Officer (DHO), out of 118 cases reported, 79 were reported from the federal capital’s rural areas. “With the detection of 79 more cases, the total number of dengue patients in the city’s suburban villages now stands at 1, 668,” he elaborated.

As far as the city itself is concerned, he added, 39 more cases of the virus were reported during the last 24 hours. “Hence, presently there are 1,053 patients in the federal capital,” he disclosed.    

168 affected in KP

As far as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) is concerned, 168 more cases of the virus were reported from different parts of the province during the last 24 hours, taking the total number of patients in the province to 4, 672. 

According to the report released by the provincial health department, so far five people have died due to the disease, while 214 dengue patients are presently admitted at hospitals across KP.

Elaborating further, the department said that out of total 168 fresh cases, 61 were reported from Peshawar alone. “With the addition of 61 more cases, the total number of patients in the provincial capital has now reached 1, 704,” it explained.

Similarly, 20 more cases were reported from Kohat, 14 from Swabi and 13 from Mardan during the period under review. “While 10 people were diagnosed with the virus in Nowshera and Shangla each,” it added.    

At the same time, however, the health department added 111 people also recovered from the disease in the province.

Extermination of dengue larvae in Punjab gains momentum 

Meanwhile, Secretary Department of Primary and Secondary Healthcare, Punjab Imran Iskandar Baloch has ordered the concerned departments to speed up efforts to prevent the spread of the dengue virus in the province.  

Baloch has said that the health department has accelerated the efforts not only to eliminate the dengue larvae but to also keep it from spreading further. “546 patients of the virus were reported from Punjab during the last 24 hours,” he informed.

“Of these 546 patients, 361 were diagnosed with the virus in Lahore alone,” he said, and added, “Similarly, 47 cases were detected in Rawalpindi, 18 in Sheikhupura, 16 in Gujranwala, 15 in Faisalabad, 11 in Kasur, eight in Khushab, seven in Muzzafargarh, six each from Sialkot and Sargodha, five cases were detected in Bhakkar while four in Attock.” 

Secretary health department said that so far 9, 491 people had been diagnosed with the dengue in Punjab, while 6, 294 case had been reported from Lahore alone.

Baloch informed that 29 people had lost their lives to the virus in the Punjab during the ongoing dengue season, while four deaths were reported from the province during the last 24 hours. “Of these four people who died, three belonged to Lahore while one was from Faisalabad,” he elaborated. 

Currently, he went on to add, 2, 286 patients of the virus were admitted at Punjab hospitals, of whom 1, 294 were admitted at hospitals in Lahore. 

Secretary health department said that 4, 846 beds had been reserved for the patients at the province’s government hospitals. “At the same time, keeping in view surge in the cases, the number of beds has also been increased in Lahore’s teaching hospitals,” he informed. 

He informed that yesterday (Friday) the health department teams had checked 446,880 indoor and 105,631 outdoor places in the province. “The teams eliminated the dengue larvae in 2, 081 both indoor and outdoor places,” he added.

Baloch advised people to take precautionary measures during the ongoing rainy season in order to protect themselves from the disease. “Don’t let the water get accumulated in any residential area which could serve as a breeding ground for the mosquitoes,” he cautioned.

He also called upon the Ulema to urge the faithful to protect themselves from the disease. 

Reporter Saba Bajeer