Several suffer from dengue fever in Kohistan

MANSEHRA: Hundreds of patients with dengue symptoms have been taken to a hospital and a medical camp, creating fears among locals in Jijal area of Lower Kohistan.

“Every second individual in our village is infected by dengue fever but the Health Department is yet to take effective measures to contain the rapidly spreading virus,” Gul Mohammad, a local, told reporters.

A large number of people, mostly women and children, have reportedly been infected by the dengue virus and are being shifted to the Basic Health Unit in Jijal.Gul said that the government was yet to start fumigation to do away with fears widely prevailing among communities because of a fatality caused by the dengue virus.

“Residents believe that a young girl, 21, who had tested positive died of the dengue virus, which flared up already existing trepidation among locals,” he said.

Dr Mohammad Geer, the district health officer of Lower Kohistan, when approached, said over 400 patients were taken to a medical camp established in Mani Dara Jijal and 40 of them tested positive for dengue.

“Mani Dara is the breeding ground for the mosquito-borne virus as its larva is widely found here and we have established a medical camp to effectively meet the emergency situation here,” he said.

Dr Geer acknowledged that though people were afraid of the outbreak of dengue virus and the influx of patients was big at that camp and local rural health centre. “We have started fumigation and provided locals with over 300 mosquito nets to do away the trepidation,” he said.He said that a female and five male doctors, paramedical and other staff provided healthcare, testing services and medicines to people brought at camp.