Over 10,788 cases of measles have been reported in Punjab during the last five months with the addition of 46 new cases during the last 24 hours.
According to health department officials, at least 64 deaths have been
Been reported so far, including one at Children’s Hospital on Saturday. Most of the deaths occurred in Lahore, Gujranwala, Rajanpur, Rahim Yar Khan and Kasur.
During the last 24 hours, around 100 cases of measles were reported in Punjab, including 48 in city hospitals.
Meanwhile, Health Services Director General Punjab Dr Tanveer Ahmed said that a majority of the deaths in Lahore were caused by severe pneumonia and due to delay in reaching hospitals.
“Measles’ vaccination is available in all hospitals of the city in ample quantity and patients are being treated for free,” he said.
He appealed to parents to get their children vaccinated without any delay and cooperate with vaccinating teams.
2m children vaccinated: Over two million children have been vaccinated against measles in a special campaign launched from April 29 till May 5.
Talking to APP on Saturday, EPI Additional Director Dr Nazir Hussain said that during the special anti-measles campaign, the health department had set a target of administering vaccination to at least three million children in Lahore and the vaccinators had achieved the target of over two million.
He said school children had also been vaccinated against measles in schools.
The facility is also being provided at all government hospitals of Lahore. “Around 5,000 health workers are involved in the special drive,” he added.
Meanwhile Lahore EDO Health Dr Zulfiqar Ali pointed out that 600 mobiles, 165 schools and 265 fixed teams had been assigned the task of vaccination. He said that an epidemic control room was also working at the office of the EDO Health and could be contacted at 04299237028.