Number of dengue fever patients on the rise

Rawalpindi : As many as 50 patients including 20 suspects and 30 confirmed patients of dengue fever were undergoing treatment at the healthcare facilities in town on Friday while according to reports, the number of dengue fever patients being reported from the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi is on the rise.

It is important to mention that dengue fever has so far claimed two lives from this region of the country this year, both from Ghouri Town area that falls in rural areas of the federal capital.

According to District Coordinator Epidemics Prevention & Control at District Health Authority Rawalpindi Dr. Sajjad Mahmood, at present, a total of 92 beds have been allocated for dengue in the teaching hospitals of District Rawalpindi out of which 50 beds are occupied by the patients. Of these patients, 30 are confirmed dengue patients, he said.

He added to date, a total of 179 confirmed dengue fever patients have been reported in Rawalpindi hospitals of which 30 patients are admitted and 149 patients have been discharged.

In the last 24 hours, another 11 dengue fever patients were reported from Rawalpindi and 23 from Islamabad. Of the reported patients in Rawalpindi, seven are from Rawalpindi Cantonment Board areas, three are from Rawal Town and one from Taxila, said Dr. Sajjad.

He said the total number of patients belonging to Rawalpindi has reached 64 of which 17 patients are currently hospitalized, while all the other patients have recovered and sent home.

He said the case response activities at the residence and workplace of 11 patients reported yesterday in Rawalpindi has been done while on 53 previously reported patients, the activities have already been carried out as per Punjab government SOPs.

According to District Health officer Islamabad Capital Territory Dr. Muhammad Zaeem Zia, a total of 134 patients have been reported from the federal capital till Thursday of which 99 are from rural areas and 35 are from urban area of the federal capital.

He informed ‘The News’ that dengue fever claimed one life from Phase-4/A and one from Phase-4/C in Ghouri Town in Tarlai area. Insecticidal residual spray has been done in a total of 988 houses till Thursday in ICT while fogging activity has been carried out at 2614 spots as case response activity in the federal capital.