Another 20 test positive for dengue fever

Rawalpindi : As many as 20 more patients have been confirmed positive for dengue fever in the last 24 hours from the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi taking the tally to 219. Of 20 patients, 11 have been reported from the federal capital and nine from Rawalpindi.

According to District Health officer Islamabad Capital Territory Dr. Muhammad Zaeem Zia, confirmation of another 11 patients positive for dengue fever took the tally to 145 from ICT of which two have already lost their lives due to the disease.

He informed ‘The News’ that a total of 106 patients have been reported from rural areas of the federal capital and 39 from urban areas while the worst-hit area is Tarlai from where a total of 56 patients have so far been reported.

It is important that both the two deaths so far caused by dengue fever were reported from the Tarlai area. To date, a total of 11 patients have been reported from Koral, 10 from Tarnol, and 11 from Alipur Farash.

District Coordinator Epidemics Prevention & Control at District Health Authority Rawalpindi Dr. Sajjad Mahmood informed ‘The News’ on Saturday that another nine dengue fever patients were reported from Rawalpindi in the last 24 hours including four patients from Rawalpindi Cantonment Board, two each from Rawal Town and Chaklala Cantonment Board and one from Potohar Town.

The total number of patients belonging to Rawalpindi has reached 74 of which 37patients are currently hospitalized while 37 have been discharged after treatment. Dengue fever has claimed no life from Rawalpindi this year so far.

Dr. Sajjad said at present, a total of 112 beds have been allocated for dengue fever management in the teaching hospitals of District Rawalpindi. 78 beds are occupied by the patients of which 37 are confirmed dengue fever patients and the rest are suspects, he said.

To date, a total of 201 confirmed dengue fever patients have been reported in hospitals from Rawalpindi of which 37 patients are admitted and the remaining 164 patients have been discharged, he said.

It is important that of 145 patients confirmed positive from ICT, only 16 were managed at Islamabad hospitals while 123 got admitted to hospitals in the Rawalpindi district. As many as 118 patients were managed at allied hospitals in town including 83 patients at Holy Family Hospital, 32 at Benazir Bhutto Hospital, and three at District Headquarters Hospital.