PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department has declared Sufaid Dheri a chikungunya outbreak zone after laboratory confirmation of 16 cases, prompting swift containment measures across the locality.
Secretary Health Shahidullah said that the outbreak came to light earlier this week when residents of Sufaid Dheri reported symptoms of febrile illness, raising concerns of a possible viral spread.
In response, he said a field team from the Health Department collected samples from 21 persons, which were sent to the KP Public Health Reference Laboratory for analysis. “Sixteen out of those samples tested positive for chikungunya, confirming the presence of the virus in the community” he added.
The secretary said, following the confirmation, the Directorate General Health Services issued an advisory directing the District Health Officer Peshawar to initiate immediate response actions.
He said that a control room had been established at the DHO office to monitor the situation and coordinate field operations. “Epidemiological investigations have begun to trace the source and transmission patterns of the virus,” the official added.
According to the provincial disease surveillance unit, Vector control activities, including fogging and larviciding, are underway to curb mosquito breeding in the affected area. Public awareness efforts have also been launched with social mobilisation teams engaging residents on preventive measures and early symptom recognition.
The Health Department has instructed local facilities to ensure the availability of diagnostic kits and essential medicines.
Daily situation reports are being submitted to the DGHS KP to track the outbreak’s progression and guide further interventions. Officials have urged residents to avoid unnecessary movement and adopt mosquito prevention strategies, including the use of repellents and maintaining clean surroundings.
A spokesperson for the Health Department said that efforts were focused on containing the outbreak within the union council and that contact tracing and close monitoring of suspected cases were going on.
Authorities have assured that all necessary resources are being utilised to control the situation and prevent further spread.