Health experts on Wednesday said that travelling with fever during Eid would likely increase the number of dengue cases in Punjab.
KEMU VC Professor Faisal Masood disclosed that more than 500 dengue cases had been reported in Karachi only and in order to control dengue fever it was necessary for people to refrain from travelling during the upcoming Eid holidays. He stressed for individuals suffering from fevers to avoid intercity travelling to curtail the spread of dengue. Furthermore, he instructed the public to use anti-mosquito sprays and mats in their houses and wear fully covered clothes while going outside their houses to prevent themselves from mosquito bites
Meanwhile, Health Minister Khalil Tahir Sindhu directed the continuation of vector surveillance and larva-eciding activities during Eid holidays for which the Eid holidays of the dengue staff were cancelled.
He issued these directions while presiding over a cabinet committee meeting held to review Punjab’s dengue situation and to discuss the steps taken by various departments for dengue control. Health Special Secretary Babar Hayyat Tarrar, secretaries, additional secretaries of departments concerned, Dengue Experts Advisory Group (DEAG) Convener and other elected representatives also attended the meeting.
Tarrar informed the meeting that only 20 confirmed dengue cases were reported throughout the province in the last six months. He said that due to the heavy rains, the chances of dengue mosquito breeding had increased and that during the vector surveillance dengue larvae was detected, therefore, the departments concerned had enhanced their vector and disease surveillance activities.
Sindhu directed the personnel concerned to display banners pertaining preventive measures and travelling instructions at bus terminals for enhancing passenger awareness. He also stressed on the need for vigorous additional awareness and publicity campaigns.
Furthermore, he directed all District Coordination Officers (DCOs) to arrange dengue awareness campaigns through cable operators in their respective districts to tap the masses.
Lahore’s DCO informed the meeting that special instructions for cleanliness and solid waste management had been issued during the Eid holidays and that all sanitary staff was already on duty. He revealed that the services of the civil defense staff had also been included in anti-dengue activities.
The meeting was informed that spray and fogging machines in all the districts were now fully functional and that a sufficient stock of medicines and chemicals for spray and fogging was available and that the spray would be carried-out as per directions of the experts.
Sindhu said that all departments were discharging their anti-dengue duties with full zeal and commitment, adding that these efforts and steps should be further intensified so that dengue could be controlled in this season.
