Another nine test positive for dengue from the region

Rawalpindi : The number of patients being tested positive for dengue fever from this region of the country has started registering a continuous increase as in the last two days, another five individuals have tested positive for the infection from Rawalpindi district taking the total number of patients so far confirmed positive from the district to 55.

Data collected by ‘The News’ on Saturday has revealed that the number of confirmed dengue fever patients being reported from Islamabad Capital Territory is also registering a significant increase as in the last 48 hours, another four individuals have tested positive for the infection from the federal capital taking the tally to 30.

According to health experts, the situation regarding the spread of dengue fever in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi has started taking an alarming turn after the recent rains. Data reveals that this year, a total of 85 individuals from the twin cities have tested positive for dengue fever of which, 25 have been reported in the last one week.

Also, the number of dengue fever patients undergoing treatment at public sector hospitals in Rawalpindi is registering an upward trend. On Saturday, as many as 14 dengue fever patients were undergoing treatment at public sector hospitals in Rawalpindi including four each at Holy Family Hospital and Benazir Bhutto Hospital, one at District Headquarters Hospital and five in Kallar Syedan. Five of the admitted patients, three at BBH and one each at HFH and DHQ Hospital have already been confirmed positive for the infection while results in other cases are being awaited.

It is important that after the recent rains, the incidence of dengue fever has been on the rise and dengue fever cases are being reported from different localities making the situation more alarming. The larvae of mosquito ‘aedes aegypti’ that causes dengue fever have so far been found in abundance from almost all across the district. Health experts are of the view that if the situation is not controlled well in time, the population in town may face a severe outbreak of the infection as confirmed cases of the infection have already been reported from a number of localities in the district. Every year, the spread of dengue fever starts in September and the number of patients continues to rise till November in the region.

Data provided by the district health authority Rawalpindi on Saturday reveals that over 3 per cent of the houses checked in as many as 84 union councils of the district have dengue fever vector. Data reveals that there are 26 union councils in the district having Breteau Index above seven means larvae of ‘aedes aegypti’ have been found from over seven per cent of the houses checked in these UCs while 58 UCs are with Breteau Index above three.