137 fresh dengue cases in Rawalpindi take total to 934

RAWALPINDI: At least 137 fresh cases of dengue fever were registered on Thursday in three government-run hospitals of Rawalpindi, taking the reported tally of the mosquito-borne viral disease reported within one month to 934.

Out of the 137 cases, 76 were registered at Holy Family Hospital (HFH), 55 at Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) and six at District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital.

No data is available from private medical facilities in the city.

All the patients at the government-run hospitals arrived from 70 city union councils and 20 wards of Rawalpindi and Chaklala Cantonment Board.

BBH Medical Superintendent Dr. Asif Qadir Mir told Dawn that during the past 24 hours, 55 dengue patients arrived on Thursday while at least 35 had arrived on Wednesday night.

“A total of 90 patients arrived, however 76 patients were tested dengue positive and the report of dengue serology of the remaining patients are awaiting,” said Dr. Tahir Sharif of Holy Family Hospital.

He said that the hospital had sufficient beds to accommodate more patients in the evening while 26 dengue patients were discharged on Thursday after provision of treatment.

A lady died of the disease at the facility on September 26.

“Six new dengue patients were brought to the hospital and total 25 dengue patients admitted in the hospital,” said a doctor at DHQ hospital's dengue ward.

The alarming rise in dengue cases prompted Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif to form an inquiry committee yesterday.

The committee will also apprise the Punjab government about the irregularities and negligence of relevant departments in the anti-dengue drive.

According to the report published in Dawn newspaper yesterday, Shahbaz Sharif had asked the provincial chief secretary and adviser on health to stay in the city and supervise the campaign against the disease.

Presiding over a meeting through video link from Lahore, the chief minister reprimanded heads of departments and institutions concerned and officers of the administration for their poor performance.

Meanwhile, the local administration declared 22 union councils of the garrison city as sensitive and initiated a fumigation drive in the city.