First confirmed cases of dengue fever from federal capital

Islamabad: As many as two patients have been tested positive for dengue fever from the federal capital being the first confirmed cases of the infection this year from Islamabad though both the patients were tested positive at one of the three teaching hospitals in Rawalpindi, Holy Family Hospital. Data collected by ‘The News’ on Sunday has revealed that one of the two first patients of dengue fever reported from Islamabad this year is a resident of G-6/3 while the other, a traffic constable is a resident of Tehsil Gujar Khan though working here in I-8/1.

According to health experts, the appearance of the first two cases of dengue fever from the federal capital ahead of the setting in of peak season for transmission of dengue fever in this region of the country is alarming. The CDA has provided technical response to the case reported from G-6/3 Sunday morning and has sprayed insecticide in 49 houses including residence of the patient and 48 houses around the house of the patient, said Additional District Health Officer at ICT Health Department Dr. Muhammad Najeeb Durrani while talking to ‘The News’ on Sunday.

Both the patients tested positive for dengue fever at HFH are stable, he said. The two patients reached HFH with signs and symptoms of dengue fever and they were admitted to dengue fever ward at Department of Infectious Diseases (DID) after being suspected as patients of dengue fever. After dengue serology, their tests came out to be positive for the infection.

Dr. Durrani said after appearance of the first two cases of dengue fever from Islamabad, the ICT Health Department has further strengthened hospital based surveillance to avoid spread of the infection and to give timely response to every confirmed case by carrying out awareness and IRS activity in the area from where the case would be reported.

Many health experts believe that the confirmation of dengue fever patients from federal capital has increased chances of spread of the infection in this region particularly because the population in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi has been facing severe dengue fever spikes for the last five years.