Another 173 test positive for dengue in ICT

Islamabad: The number of confirmed patients of dengue fever being reported from this region of the country is still much higher as compared to other parts of the country as in the last 48 hours, another 173 individuals have tested positive for the infection from the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi at an average of over 86 patients reported per day.

Data collected by ‘The News’ on Monday has revealed that the number of dengue fever cases being reported from Islamabad Capital Territory is much higher as compared to Rawalpindi district at least in the last one week or so and it can be gauged from the fact that out of 173 cases reported from the twin cities in the last two days, as many as 123 were registered from the federal capital.

According to District Health Officer Islamabad Dr. Muhammad Zaeem Zia, as many as 62 individuals have tested positive for dengue fever from ICT in the last 24 hours taking the total number of dengue fever patients so far reported from the federal capital to 2,081 of which 13,38 are residents of rural areas and 743 are from the urban areas in Islamabad.

On the other hand, only eight new dengue fever patients have been reported from Rawalpindi district in the last one day taking the tally to 2,083. It is important that in the last four days, 113 dengue fever patients have been reported from Rawalpindi recording an average of around 28 patients per day while from ICT, another 197 patients have been registered in the last four days at an average of over 49 patients per day.

To date, a total of 4,164 patients have been confirmed positive for dengue fever from the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi though the infection has claimed no life from the region so far. It is worth mentioning here that the mercury level in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi has already started falling, hinting towards the setting in of winter but still well over 70 confirmed patients of dengue fever are being reported per day on average.

The number of dengue fever patients being reported in the region, particularly from Rawalpindi district has shown a decline in the last one week but, according to health experts, the individuals should not consider the situation under control at the moment instead they should take extraordinary preventive and control measures and must avoid contact with dengue fever vector, the mosquitoes.

On Monday morning, there were 92 dengue fever patients undergoing treatment at the public sector hospitals in Rawalpindi of which 46 had already been confirmed positive for the infection. One of the admitted patients was in critical condition.