Three more dengue cases have appeared in the metropolitan on Monday as the chief minister announced observing another Dengue Day in the province, Pakistan Today has learnt.
According to details, eight-year-old Malaika, 14-year-old Saba and 26-year-old Raza are the latest patients in Mayo and Jinnah Hospitals.
Dr Jafar Ilyas of Epidemic Control said the total number of dengue patients is 23 in the entire province, while many patients who are reported from Lahore, later turn out to be from other cities. “The situation is currently under control and all steps being taken to cope with it,” he added.
However, medical experts feared a surge in the dengue cases after Eid, when a lot of people will travel places, especially the ones coming from Karachi, where the situation is already alarming.
Moreover, authorities linked the recent cases also with torrential rains and the resultant water accumulation in different parts of the city.
However, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has passed on instructions to observe 2nd Anti-Dengue Day on August 17. All government departments will remain open on that day and special cleanliness campaign and elimination of mosquito breeding sites would be launched in all government departments.
To raise public awareness regarding dengue, special awareness seminars and walks would be held while street announcements would be made and informative material would also be distributed on that day. Elected public representatives will also participate in the drive.
The Health Department has issued a notification for observing Anti-Dengue Day. The department has issued instructions to the VCs of KEMU and University of Health Sciences Lahore, principals of all government medical colleges, medical superintendents of government as well as autonomous medical institutions and other subordinate offices to launch a special cleanliness campaign in their buildings.
They have been directed to ensure that waste material, condemned items and debris which cause accumulation of water and provide a favourable breeding ground for dengue mosquito are removed.
Moreover, it has also been decided to observe August 17 as Anti-Dengue Day in order to create awareness amongst public and healthcare providers. For this purpose, awareness seminars and walks would also be arranged.
Punjab Health Department also appealed the general public to clean their houses and their surroundings and check accumulation of water in open places and it has also been emphasised that water tanks, drums etc should be properly covered to check the breeding of dengue mosquito. The spokesman of Health Department has stressed the need of active participation of public in Anti-Dengue Day for eradication of this menace.
