Dengue fever has surged to a critical level in the Rawalpindi andCantonment areas, with over 485 confirmed cases, placing significantpressure on local healthcare facilities. Despite the deployment of anexpert team from Lahore, efforts to control this mosquito-borne diseasehave fallen short, allowing it to spread unchecked.
In response to this worsening situation, local authorities have issued analert focused on protecting children from dengue fever. This directivemandates that students in educational institutions wear full-sleevedshirts. In the past 24 hours alone, an alarming 47 new cases have beenconfirmed, with an additional 23 awaiting verification.
All of these recent patients have exhibited high fever symptoms, witheleven now in critical condition and receiving treatment in the HighDependency Unit. Dr. Sajjad Mehmood, the District Coordinator for EpidemicsPrevention and Control (DCEPC), provided details on these new cases,revealing that 17 patients originated from the Potohar town urban area,nine from the Municipal Corporation, four from Chaklala cantonment, andthree from the Taxila cantonment area
. Dr. Mehmood stressed the critical nature of September as a prime periodfor dengue transmission and urged residents to take stringent precautionarymeasures against mosquito bites. Initially, the health department’sstrategy was to confine dengue mosquitoes to hotspot areas to protectcitizens, but the situation has rapidly deteriorated. Experts haveexpressed deep concern about the rising number of patients and the limitedresources available to the district administration.
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They have warned that Allied hospitals are under immense pressure due tothe increasing cases. In response, local authorities are planning tointensify efforts to combat dengue mosquito breeding and movement. Thesemeasures include extensive fogging operations and awareness campaigns,particularly targeting schoolchildren, who are now advised to wearfull-sleeves instead of half-sleeves. Health department teams will activelyvisit schools to educate both teachers and students on dengue prevention.
The district administration emphasizes close coordination between thehealth department and allied hospitals, with 419 patients already showingsigns of recovery due to improved strategies. Additionally, the DistrictHealth Authority (DHA) has taken legal action by filing 59 FIRs and sealing10 premises for violations of anti-dengue Standard Operating Procedures(SOPs) within the last 24 hours. The identification of 25 high-risk zonesfor dengue in the city heightens concerns about the ongoing outbreak.
