Localised dengue fever outbreak reported in UC Rawat

Islamabad: The population in Union Council Rawat, an area falling in the federal capital has been facing a localised outbreak of dengue fever and a significant number of confirmed cases of the infection have already been reported from Moza Mohra Nagyaal.

According to District Health Officer Islamabad Dr. Muhammad Najeeb Durrani, over 87 confirmed cases of dengue fever have already been reported from the federal capital though nearly 90 per cent of all cases so far reported from Islamabad have received treatment from hospitals in Rawalpindi including Holy Family Hospital and Benazir Bhutto Hospital.

Majority of dengue fever cases are being reported from vicinities located at border area of the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, he said. In UC Rawat, however more cases are being reported from localities falling under jurisdiction of federal capital, he said.

He added the district health department Islamabad has been running an awareness campaign against dengue fever on regular basis and outbreak rapid response is being given to each and every confirmed case to control the spread of dengue fever.

Dr. Durrani added that the teams of lady health workers are paying door-to-door visits to houses in the affected areas and destroying active breeding sites of mosquitoes inside homes to check growth of larvae of mosquitoes particularly ‘aedes aegypti’, the vector that causes dengue fever. “The LHWs are sensitizing public on importance of avoiding contact with mosquitoes to avoid dengue fever.”

He added the outdoor surveillance teams of the health department are performing fogging in the affected areas daily on regular basis to contain the disease. Adequate measures have also been taken for removal of solid waste with the help of staff from union councils and Municipal Corporation, said Dr. Durrani.

He added the health department is taking strict action against owners of tyre shops and junkyards who are not following standard operating procedures for elimination of mosquitoes breeding sites on their premises.

Data collected by ‘The News’ from the three teaching hospitals in Rawalpindi, however, reveals that to date, a total of 126 confirmed patients of dengue fever from Islamabad have so far been reported at allied hospitals including 21 at Holy Family Hospital, 30 at Benazir Bhutto Hospital and 75 at District Headquarters Hospital.