Islooites at risk of dengue fever outbreak

Islamabad
The residents of the federal capital are at risk of facing dengue fever outbreak as the number of confirmed patients reaching hospitals in Islamabad is on the rise during last one week.
The data collected by 'The News' on Monday has revealed that as many as 38 patients have been tested positive for dengue fever in Islamabad hospitals during last nine days, of which 13 are residents of Islamabad while 25 are residents of other districts of the country.
Of the total 65 patients tested positive for the infection in Islamabad hospitals so far, 21 are from Islamabad and 30 patients are residents of Rawalpindi while one patient belonging to village Sohan, Islamabad's rural area, was admitted to the Holy Family Hospital in Rawalpindi.
The prevailing situation in Islamabad regarding incidence of dengue fever cannot be termed as an outbreak as yet as sporadic cases are being reported in the federal capital so far, said Assistant District Health Officer at ICT Health Department and In-charge District Dengue Control Cell Dr. Muhammad Najeeb Durrani while talking to 'The News' on Monday.
He, however, said that the federal capital is at a greater risk of having dengue fever outbreak because of greater number of confirmed patients reaching hospitals in Islamabad from other districts of the country and particularly because of movement of patients from neighbouring town, Rawalpindi that has already been hit by a severe dengue fever outbreak.
After biting confirmed patients of dengue fever reaching town from other districts, the local mosquitoes are getting infected with the virus that may cause further spread of the infection among population in the federal capital, he explained.
He said to date a total of 30 confirmed patients belonging to Rawalpindi district have been admitted to Islamabad hospitals for treatment and four patients each from Haripur and Mansehra while one patient each from Charsadda, Mardan, Abbottabad, Fatehjang, Kotli, Kallar Syedan and Karachi have been tested positive at Islamabad hospitals.
To a query, Dr. Durrani said a total of nine patients from Islamabad rural while 12 from Islamabad urban have so far been confirmed positive for dengue fever.
He said a total of 19 patients have been tested positive at Shifa International Hospital while 14 at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, 12 at KRL Hospital, four at Maroof International, two each at Federal Government Polyclinic and Capital Hospital and one each at Rawal Hospital and Nescom Hospital have been confirmed positive for the infection.