At least 90 more cases of dengue surfaced in the past 24 hours in Rawalpindi, taking the total number of patients to 2,150, it was revealed on Tuesday.
Due to the rising number of patients, beds in hospital wards have fallen short. Patients admitted in the metropolis hospitals include a large number of children and women.
An alarming situation was also seen as doctors and paramedics had to devote their complete attention and care to the dengue sufferers, neglecting other patients.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Secretary Khizar Hayat Gondal ordered to double the amount of spray in various parts of the city to halt further growth of dengue mosquitoes. He said that a complete precautionary strategy would be adopted in this regard.
Punjab Health Ministry revealed that more cases of dengue virus are also likely to surface.
The local government has appealed to people to take precautionary measures to restrict further number of patients. Anti-dengue campaign is in progress in Rawalpindi and other cities of Punjab but no significant results have been achieved.
In Multan, spread of the disease has grown worse as at least 273 patients were admitted in various government hospitals. Of them, 183 were tested positive for the disease.
Sources said that more than 200 dengue victims have been reported this week in both government and private hospitals whereas the total number of patients affected by the deadly virus has reached 2,400 in the current year.
There is no treatment for dengue, which causes symptoms including fever, severe joint pain, headaches and bleeding.
About half of the world’s population is at risk from the mosquito-borne disease which infects about 100 million people every year, mostly in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
People have been advised to use mosquito nets and insect repellents and to avoid storing water in open pots where the larvae can breed.
CONGO-VIRUS PATIENT PERISHES:
A patient suffering from Congo-virus died in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, as death toll climbed to 12 across the country.
Mohammad Hanif, a resident of Lora Tehsil of Murree had been suffering from the Congo-virus disease for the past three months. He was given medical treatment at the local hospital in Murree. He was shifted to Holy Family hospital, on referral of the doctors.
Khyber Phuktunkha has been the worst-hit province, though a large number of Congo virus cases have also emerged in Punjab.
