Outbreak sets a new record of most cases in a year

Dengue fever outbreak in federal capital

Over 550 confirmed cases in last two weeks take tally to 1,350

Islamabad: The confirmation of over 1,350 patients positive for dengue fever from the federal capital so far this year has set a new record of most cases in a year as compared to number of patients confirmed positive from Islamabad in previous 10 years, from 2006 to 2015.

Data collected by ‘The News’ on Thursday reveals that nearly 550 patients have been tested positive for dengue fever from the federal capital in last two weeks that took the total number of dengue fever patients from Islamabad to over 1,350. It is important that the infection has already claimed two lives in the federal capital from where still 15 to 30 cases of the infection are being reported daily on average despite a significant fall in temperature.

Earlier, the dengue fever outbreak hit thickly populated areas of union councils Sohan and Rawat while in last two weeks, majority of cases of the infection are being reported from Tarlai and Koral.

According to details, over 225 confirmed cases of dengue fever have so far been reported from Sohan and well over 350 from Rawat while nearly 400 patients have been tested positive for the infection from Tarlai and over 130 from Koral, said additional District Health Officer at Islamabad Capital Territory Health Department Dr. Muhammad Najeeb Durrani while talking to ‘The News’ on Thursday. He added that as many as 160 patients have been tested positive for dengue fever from urban areas in Islamabad so far this year.

It is important that last year, in 2015, as many as 536 confirmed patients of dengue fever were reported from Islamabad that was a record of most cases in a year since 2006.When asked, Dr. Durrani said at present, majority of cases of dengue fever are being reported from UC Koral from the localities including Soan Garden, Pakistan Town, Korang Town, PWD Housing Society and Media Town along with thickly populated areas located in Koral.

To a query, he said the main reason behind spread of dengue fever in the areas along Islamabad Expressway is poor system of solid waste management however at the time, the most effective way of controlling further spread of dengue fever is indoor surveillance.

The temperature has fallen to a significant level and in the existing weather conditions, mosquitoes including ‘aedes aegypti’, the vector that causes  dengue fever finds warmer places inside houses, said Dr. Durrani.