Dengue under control in Punjab

LAHORE: Provincial Health Ministers Dr Jamal Nasir and Dr Javed Akram have jointly assured that the situation with regard to dengue is under control in Punjab as the government is vigorously pursuing all possible measures for curbing this menace.

Addressing a joint press conference on Friday, they said that not even a single patient had died due to dengue during the current year. They informed that Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi had directed for zero tolerance for officers and officials negligent in case of dengue duties. Best treatment of dengue patients was going on in government hospitals where high dependency units had also been established for such cases, they said. The ministers further said that the Health Department was working on scientific lines and anti-dengue measures had been intensified across the province. As a result of increased surveillance, larvae was being recovered from more places. Latest insecticides will now be procured which will not allow larvae to develop, informed the ministers.

The ministers informed that completely eliminating dengue had not been possible anywhere in the world even in the USA and Singapore. However, it could be prevented from spreading by taking precautionary measures, adopting cleanliness as a habit and drying breeding places for dengue larvae. They advised the people not to let the water remain accumulated at open places and keep the environment dry and clean. The ministers advised the dengue patients not to use home remedies or tips for treatment. Papaya leaves had nothing to do with the dengue treatment. Fluctuations in platelets were also not related to dengue fever even remotely, they added. Dengue patients should take proper rest and reduce consumption of water, juices and liquids when fever subsides. Complications in the disease may occur after the fever subsides, so patients should drink as little water as possible. If a patient experiences abdominal pain, vomiting or sweating after the fever subsides, he should immediately contact a qualified doctor, advised the ministers.

The provincial ministers said that dengue was not a problem of the health department only but was of the whole society. We need the support of the media to control it, the ministers said.

The press conference was informed that so far 1,276 confirmed dengue cases have been reported in the all districts of Punjab since the beginning of this year. A total of 4,726 FIRs have been registered for violation of dengue SOPs while 1,45,301 notices have been issued besides sealing 767 premises in connection with anti-dengue as well as surveillance activities in Punjab.

APP adds: As many as 37 new dengue virus cases were reported in the provincial metropolis, on Friday.

According to the Health department sources, besides the dengue virus cases, 1,185 larvae spots were reported, with many patients under treatment in different hospitals of the city. Various squads conducted surveillance at indoor and outdoor places to detect dengue larvae. The anti-dengue squad destroyed dengue larvae at 1,185 places in the province during continuing surveillance. Sources said that on Friday, 37 new patients of dengue fever were reported in Lahore. It is worth mentioning here that moreover, 2,678 beds have been allocated for dengue patients in hospitals across Punjab, the Health department said.