RAWALPINDI: The dengue situation across the country continues to remain a cause of concern as 14 new cases were reported in Rawalpindi during the past 24 hours, bringing the city’s total number of confirmed patients this season to 1,177, according to the Punjab Health Department.
Over 50 dengue patients are currently under treatment at various hospitals in Rawalpindi, while more than 18,000 people have been screened since the start of the season. Health officials confirmed that no dengue-related deaths have been reported so far in the district.
This year, inspection teams have checked 5,939,433 buildings, recovering dengue larvae from 189,176 houses, leading to 4,630 cases registered and 1,882 premises sealed for violations of anti-dengue Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Across Punjab, a total of 53 new dengue cases were confirmed in the past 24 hours. These include 18 from Lahore, 13 from Rawalpindi, 7 from Multan, and five from Faisalabad. The overall number of dengue cases in the province has now climbed to 2,615, including 492 confirmed patients in Lahore alone.
In Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), the District Health Office has maintained ongoing surveillance and fumigation drives in residential and commercial areas as part of preventive measures. Health officials urged residents to remove stagnant water and ensure household cleanliness to curb mosquito breeding.
A total of 41,709 locations in Islamabad have been inspected by field teams, and 31 new patients were reported in the last 24 hours – 16 from rural areas and 15 from urban areas.
Meanwhile, the dengue situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has also worsened, with the total number of infections crossing 3,800 in the province, the Health Department confirmed.
During the last 24 hours, 25 new dengue patients were admitted to hospitals, while 268 cases remain active. The majority of cases have been reported from Charsadda (1,051), followed by Peshawar (386), Mardan (343), Haripur (329), and Mansehra (299).
In Sindh, Chief Secretary Asif Haider Shah chaired an emergency meeting to review the provincial dengue situation. The Health Department informed the meeting that 982 dengue cases have been reported so far this year, including 641 in Karachi and 178 in Hyderabad.
To manage the outbreak, 239 dengue wards have been set up across hospitals in Sindh, with 1,289 beds allocated for patients. Free dengue testing is available in 117 government laboratories, and test prices have been reduced in private hospitals as well.
Chief Secretary Shah directed all relevant departments to implement a Union Council-level fumigation plan, eliminate mosquito larvae through scientific methods, and launch an awareness campaign to educate the public, particularly schoolchildren, about dengue prevention. He also ordered activation of control rooms, regular inspection of dengue wards by district officials, and immediate response to public complaints via the Health Department helpline (022-9240114).
Health experts across all regions are urging citizens to remain vigilant, eliminate stagnant water, and seek medical attention at the earliest signs of fever. With cases rising in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad, the focus remains on integrated vector control, early diagnosis, and community participation to curb the spread of dengue fever before the end of the mosquito-breeding season.