Two more die of dengue fever in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: Two more people lost their lives to the dengue virus on Thursday, bringing the death toll from the outbreak in the city and surrounding areas to 30, the Department of Health said.

The latest victims of the outbreak had been under treatment at Khyber Teaching Hospital in Peshawar.

A total of 400 patients are under treatment at hospitals across the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the Department of Health stated.

The KP government has been struggling to overcome the dengue outbreak, as the number of victims in the province continues to rise.

A World Health Organisation (WHO) mission visited the Khyber Teaching Hospital on Wednesday for assessment of the dengue outbreak, as the hospital in question caters to more than 90 percent of the patients.

The WHO mission, which included Team Lead Health Emergencies WHO Country Office Dr. Michael Lukwaya, Manager Infectious Hazard Management Regional Office Dr. Sheikh Muhammad Mamunur Malik and Dr. Sardar Hayat Khan WHO KP Chapter, was briefed about the overall arrangements made by the institution for the special facilitation and arrangement of dengue patients during the outbreak.

The visit was conducted on the request of the Health Department Khyber Pakthunkhwa.

Meanwhile, in view of the outbreak in KP province, federal health authorities and the capital’s administration have decided to form a joint task force to keep an eye on the spread of dengue virus in Islamabad.

Federal Health Minister Saira Afzal Tarar on Wednesday stressed the need for maintaining high level of vigilance to avoid any dengue outbreak situation in the federal capital.

Chairing a high-level meeting in Islamabad, the minister directed that the case response be essentially undertaken to ensure there was proper surveillance, especially in areas from where dengue cases are reported.

She urged senior officials from Islamabad to work in close coordination for common cause of preventing the residents of the city from the dengue virus.

She also called for urgent steps by CDA to ensure safe management of solid waste and cleanliness in the city.