Punjab Chief Secretary Khizar Hayat Gondal said on Friday that he is chairing a meeting daily to review steps being taken to control influenza in the province.
Addressing a meeting at the Civil Secretariat, the chief secretary said that all possible measures were being taken to control influenza.
He directed the hospitals to provide the best possible care to the patients.
He ordered that besides preventive measures, awareness campaign about the disease should also be continued in a vigorous manner.
In a briefing, Director General Health Services Dr Amjad Shehzad said that the number of influenza patients in the province was 53.
Two new patients had been reported in Lahore during the last 24 hours, he added.
He said that one patient died of influenza in Holy Family Hospital during the last 24 hours bringing the death toll to 18.
The meeting was attended by Advisor on Health Khwaja Salman Rafique, MPA Khwaja Imran Nazir, Additional Chief Secretary Shumail Ahmad Khwaja, Secretary Health Najam Ahmad Shah, Secretary Health (Primary) Ali Jan, and PITB Chairman Dr Umer Saif.