hotspots from their houses. Kh. Salman Rafique further said that as a result of consolidated and collective efforts of the government departments, the dengue situation in Rawalpindi, Lahore, Sheikhupura and other districts is gradually improving.
He said this while chairing a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Dengue at the Civil Secretariat, according to a handout issued on Monday. Besides members of Punjab Assembly Majid Zahoor, Pir Ashraf Rasool and Lubna Faisal, Kiran Dar MNA, Additional Chief Secretary Syed Mubashar Raza, senior officers of departments concerned, public health experts, DCOs of Lahore and Sheikhupura, officers of PITB, Meteorological Department, Special Branch and other agencies attended the meeting, while Commissioners Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan and Rawalpindi divisions briefed the meeting on the anti -dengue activities in their respective divisions through video link.
DCO Lahore Capt. Retd. Muhammad Usman informed the meeting that workforce has been enhanced in Lahore and as a result of additional dengue surveillance teams the ratio of larvae detection is higher than the last year. However, the ratio of larvae detection is gradually lowering in Lahore. The meeting was informed that case response is being done regularly in those areas from where probable and confirmed dengue patients are reported. It was informed that effective indoor and outdoor dengue surveillance is also being carried out in all the districts and special attention is being paid to Rawalpindi where the occurrence of dengue cases is higher than other areas. Doctors are providing best treatment facilities and special care to the patients in hospitals.
Kh. Salman Rafique directed that agencies concerned should take special measures for removing the solid waste on the eve of Eid ul-Azha and a complete sweeping should also be carried out in graveyards on this occasion. He directed that analysis of blood samples of dengue patients should be carried out to determine the type of dengue virus. He said the administration of all educational institutions should once again be directed to strictly follow the instructions of the Health Department and SOPs laid down for fogging and spray in schools and colleges.