Six more people succumbed to the dengue virus, increasing the official death toll to 111 during the current outbreak. However, independent sources said the death toll was 130. The total number of dengue patients has risen to 11,054 with 9,787 from Lahore alone.
The dead included Farooq, 50, who was admitted in Mayo Hospital.Punjab Health Department spokesperson Arif Naveed said about 368 dengue cases had been registered, with 342 from Lahore. People, mostly women and children, continued to visit city hospitals while hospital administration said it was not possible to satisfy each patient due to their overwhelming number.
Experts said the virus’s spread may increase due to the load shedding that restarted in Punjab. Seperately, WHO Geneva Mission sent vector ecology management specialist Raman to join the Punjab government in efforts to curb dengue. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif chaired a session of dengue emergency meeting where it was decided that stern action would be taken against school administrations that do not follow the instructions regarding school uniform.
