Medical experts fear a surge in death rate from dengue fever with an increasing number of cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) being registered across Punjab, as the provincial government approved regulations to control dengue under the Punjab Epidemic Control Act.
The reported deaths in Punjab have climbed to 177 with the confirmation of nine more deaths on Thursday.
Of these 177, 160 people lost their lives to DHF and DSS in Lahore alone, though it is feared that the deaths might be much higher than reported.
The number of positive dengue cases is still on rise in the province and 608 more were tested positive for the virus, 461 patients in Lahore only. Presently, 1,862 patients are hospitalised in various hospitals of Lahore.
King Edward Medical University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Asad Aslam said though overall dengue cases were declining, DHF patients were on the rise.
He said the risk of contracting DHF got higher if a person was infected the second time by dengue virus. Aslam said that to lower the death rate by DHF, early diagnosis and detection of DHF symptoms in patients was necessary.
Health Secretary Jahanzeb Khan said the pattern of increasing DHF patients was similar to the pattern in other countries. He said the changing weather had helped reduce the effects of dengue.