here has been an alarming surge in dengue fever cases over the past few days.

Holy Family Hospital, one of the three major health facilities in Rawalpindi, has set aside 100 beds for dengue patients, hospital staff say.

“Out of the three public hospitals in Rawalpindi, Holy Family Hospital is known for its focus on treating viral infections. That’s why the footfall there has increased significantly over the past few days,” says Dr Ehsan Ghani, a senior Health Department official.

“Potohar Town is the worst hit part in Rawalpindi. It has slums and some congested neighbourhoods. It is a densely-populated area. The disease seems to be spreading there,” he says.

Potohar Town area is considered a hotspot despite the special measures taken by the district administration.

“In 2022, we received the highest number of dengue fever patients. This year, we’re expecting the tally to rise even further,” says the doctor. “People must take precautionary measures and pay attention to the awareness campaigns being run by the authorities,” says Dr Ghani.

“This year the number of confirmed cases has reached around 1,000 till date. September was the peak month for dengue fever,” the official says.

Islamabad has also seen a surge in dengue cases. District Health Officer Dr Zaeem Zia has warned that the current season poses an increased risk of dengue fever transmission due to heavy rainfall resulting in additional breeding sites for mosquitoes.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has directed the Capital Development Authority to ensure the implementation of SOPs to prevent the spread of dengue fever and ensure immediate drainage of water from low-lying areas.

“The anti-dengue plan should be implemented in letter and spirit. Any negligence in this regard will not be tolerated. All hospitals and laboratories in the city should be contacted for data on dengue cases to ensure a unified response,” a statement by the minister reads.

Last week, district administrations of Islamabad and Rawalpindi had intensified their anti-dengue operations and planned a joint strategy to combat the menace. It included awareness campaigns, crackdowns, inspections and monitoring.

A recently held joint meeting of officials from both administrations discussed steps for controlling the spread of dengue fever. The meeting was co-chaired by the commissioners of both cities; the deputy commissioners were also present.

Recently, Pakistan Meteorological Department issued a dengue fever alert following a noticeable rise in dengue fever cases across Pakistan. Officials warned that cases, which began increasing in September, are expected to increase further in October. PMD highlighted that some of the major cities, including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Multan, Hyderabad and Larkana, are particularly vulnerable to the outbreak.

The writer is a staff member. He tweets at @waqargillani