14 patients test positive for dengue

Islamabad : As many as 14 patients have so far been confirmed positive for dengue fever from rural areas of the federal capital this month and alarming is the fact that 12 of them are residents of Union Council Rawat.

It is important that the first two confirmed cases of dengue fever this year were also reported from Rawat in the first week of July while the District Health Office Islamabad had already started field activities in the rural areas for prevention of the infection.

Data collected by ‘The News’ on Saturday has revealed that in last two weeks, a total of nine confirmed cases of dengue fever have been reported from Rawat while one each from union councils Tarlai and Tarnol.

Though to date, 14 patients have been confirmed positive for dengue fever, the situation is well under control and the health department is working hard to contain the disease, said District Health Officer Islamabad Dr. Muhammad Najeeb Durrani while talking to ‘The News’ on Saturday.

The rapid response teams of the health department carried out case response activity immediately after reports of the cases for surveillance against dengue fever, he said.

The teams of health department have been performing fogging and fumigation activities in the field repeatedly because the repeated rain spells spoil the effects of fogging and fumigation particularly the effects of temiphos sprinkled on unnecessary water reservoirs which cannot be removed, said Dr. Durrani.