ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI: As the rain heralded a change in the weather, health authorities on Sunday expressed the hope that the dengue mosquito will be eliminated by the end of October as it becomes difficult for it to survive in low temperatures.

As a report spread on the social media that hospitals in the federal capital were jam-packed with dengue patients, District Health Officer Dr Zaeem Zia said his team was continuously monitoring the situation.

“We have been doing fumigation at hotspots and trying to eradicate the dengue larva. Moreover, Sunday’s rain has given us the hope that the temperature will further decline in a few days. It becomes difficult for the dengue mosquito to survive at less than 22 degrees Celsius temperature,” he said.

Moreover, with the decrease in temperature people stop sleeping in open spaces and also shut windows and doors due to which mosquitoes remain outside,” he said.

He also said that with the decrease in temperature people start wearing full sleeve dresses minimising the chances of mosquito bites.

“Moreover, dengue season usually starts in late August or early September but this year it started late. Now we are hoping that the soon season will end in the city,” Dr Zia said.

In 2019, around 17,000 cases of dengue were reported in the federal capital but this year the number remains less than 1,500.

According to data shared by the Rawalpindi district administration, so far 526 patients have been reported from Rawalpindi, 1,316 in Islamabad, 3,092 in Lahore, 38 in Attock, eight in Chakwal and three in Jhelum.

A senior official of the district administration said that most of the patients arrived from areas in Islamabad along I.J. Principle Road and Islamabad Expressway and were admitted in Holy Family Hospital.

He said that in 2019 as many as 4,200 patients had reported to government hospitals in Rawalpindi while in 2021 the number so far was 526.

As many as 38 more dengue patients arrived in Holy Family Hospital (HFH), Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) and District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital, taking the tally to 526.

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Ali said due to the increase in dengue cases, there was a need to speed up the anti-dengue drive.

Reviewing the anti-dengue drive in a meeting, the deputy commissioner said there was a dire need to create awareness among the people about the safety measures to avoid further spread of the dengue virus.

He directed the health authority to speed up the drive and involve people in it so the dengue virus could be controlled.

He said if timely measures were not taken the dengue situation may get out of control, so all departments and citizens should be fully alert.

On the other hand, as the number of dengue patients increased in the garrison city, the cantonment authorities and the district administration decided to work together for the elimination of the virus.

RCB spokesman Qaiser Mehmood told Dawn there was a dire need to start fumigation in houses and commercial plazas so the mosquitoes and larvae could be eliminated. He said that people should also adopt safety measures and close windows in the evening and the morning.

He said during last week anti-dengue teams conducted operations in cantonment and city areas and checked 30,421 houses and found dengue mosquitoes in 619 houses.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2021