Population in Pindi facing most intense phase of dengue outbreak, another 490 cases

Rawalpindi : The dengue fever outbreak here in Rawalpindi district has entered the most intense phase after a significant fall in temperature and according to health experts, the number of confirmed dengue fever cases from the district is on the rise because the mosquitoes including ‘aedes aegypti’, the vector that causes dengue fever are moving to warmer places available inside homes, offices, vehicles like buses, vans, cars and rail compartments to rest and bite.

Another factor that causes an increase in the number of dengue fever cases from this region of the country is that after a fall in temperature, people may stop using fans particularly in the evening, night and at dawn that would increase the rate of mosquito-bites among the population. The absence of air circulating from a fan may give mosquitoes a greater chance to fly freely and bite humans. Data collected by ‘The News’ on Monday has revealed that as many as 490 individuals have tested positive for dengue fever from Rawalpindi district in the last four days that amounts to around 123 confirmed dengue fever cases reported per day on average from the district, which is the highest number since the advent of dengue fever outbreak in the region.

Experts say that in the existing weather conditions, mosquitoes move to the indoor places or in other words in the bedrooms and kitchens where they can rest in corners behind the curtains or furniture to rest and bite and lay eggs to hatch. The phenomenon increases the chances of mosquito-bites resulting in an increase in the number of cases. Experts say that it is the time for individuals to take extraordinary measures to avoid mosquito bites and eliminate all possible breeding sites from homes and offices. It has been observed that during the previous dengue fever outbreaks, after a fall in temperature at the end of October and in the beginning of November, a surge in the number of dengue fever cases is reported in the region.

Experts say that many individuals do not take proper preventive measures after a slight fall in temperature, which is a wrong practice as the temperature inside homes, offices, buses, vans and cars is highly suitable for mosquitoes to rest and feed.

Studies reveal that the biting ability and physiological functions of ‘aedes aegypti’ are affected by the fall in temperature particularly below 13 degree centigrade at which they are not able to bite because of weak energy in joints that do not let them make a firm grip and mount on the body of a person for sucking blood. However, the temperature inside homes, offices, buses, vans and cars do not fall below 13 degree Celsius generally at the time of setting in of winter. The data of previous years’ dengue fever outbreaks provides statistical evidence and information that the outbreak of the infection shall most probably meet its end by the end of November or in the beginning of December depending on the fall in temperature in this region of the country.