Anti-dengue campaign launched in Islamabad after rapid rise in cases

• In the last 24 hours, 98 new cases of dengue were reported in Islamabad.
• Assistant deputy commissioner says legal action will be taken against anyone found letting water accumulate outside their homes.
• Assistant commissioners have so far imposed 30,000 fines, arrested seven people and registered 2 FIRs, besides sealing seven premises, as part of the measures to curb a dengue outbreak.

An anti-dengue campaign has been launched in Islamabad in response to alarmingly high levels of dengue virus cases being reported in the capital.

To prevent a full-blown dengue outbreak in the metropolis, the Chief Commissioner of Islamabad called upon all stakeholders to launch an anti-dengue drive in the city. Saturday (today) marked the second day of the operation.

According to a statement by Additional Deputy Commissioner (East) Babar Sahib Din, over the course of the next 4-5 days, every street, in both rural and urban areas, will be fumigated.

"Today, major market areas in F-6, F-7, F-8, G-6, G-7, G-8, as well as residential areas in G-10, G-14, I-8, I-10, Rawal Town and F-11, F-8, F-5 were fumigated," he said.

In rural areas, Shah Allah Ditta, Turnol, Jangi Sayeda Saidpur, Mehrabadi were among the localities targeted.

The ADC said 20 teams have been constituted to lead the activity, which include people from the Capital Development Authority (CDA), Municipal Coroporation of Islamabad (MCI) and other departments.

Of these, one special team is focusing on bus depots and another on mosques, where daily fumigation is ensured.

"All housing societies have also been told to increase their fumigation activities," said the ADC.

"A team is also tasked with rapid response for areas where dengue cases surface," he added.

According to the ADC, the ICTA administration has also imposed Section 144. Legal action will be taken against anyone found letting water accumulate outside their homes.

He said that assistant commissioners have imposed 30,000 fines, seven people were arrested, 2 FIRs were registered, and seven premises were sealed.

A large number of junkyards, under construction sites, service stations, tyre shops were also inspected, Din said.

In the last 24 hours, 98 new cases of dengue were reported in Islamabad, according to the district health officer, of which 73 were found in rural areas and 25 in urban areas.

The new cases brought the total number of patients to 1,030.

The DHO said that Islamabad's suburbs have begun to report a rising number of cases.

In rural areas, 698 people have been infected with the dengue virus, whereas in urban areas, 332 cases have been recorded.