MANSEHRA: Another youth died of dengue, raising the death toll to three in the district, his family said on Tuesday.

Mohammad Ibrahim, 16, was admitted to King Abdullah Teaching Hospital (KATH) after testing positive for dengue. According to his family, his condition worsened when his platelets dropped sharply.

He was referred to Ayub Medical Complex, Abbottabad, where he succumbed to the virus.

This was the third reported dengue-related death in Mansehra district, following two earlier deaths in Oghi. The vector-borne disease, which began in hotspots of Oghi, has now spread rapidly to other areas, with increasing number of patients being brought to hospitals in Mansehra, Oghi, Shinkiari, Balakot, Baffa, and Darband.

“Around 40 per cent of patients are with dengue symptoms at our facility. All available beds are occupied, even after opening additional wards,” a doctor at KATH told reporters on condition of anonymity.

KATH, the only tertiary healthcare facility in the upper parts of Hazara division, has been receiving hundreds of patients daily, mostly from riverside and streamside settlements.

Public and private health facilities in Oghi, identified as a breeding ground for dengue mosquito larvae, have also been overwhelmed with patients for several weeks, with no sign of respite.

Though district health officer Dr Faisal Khanzada had fixed the dengue test fee at Rs350 through a notification issued two weeks ago, many diagnostic laboratories have refused to comply, forcing patients to pay higher charges.

Residents of Mansehra city and its suburbs have urged the health department to take urgent preventive measures, including fumigation and spraying, to contain the outbreak.

Separately, the Oghi tehsil municipal administration on Tuesday warned encroachers to demolish and remove structures built on the right of way in the city and suburbs within two days or face demolition.

Announcements were made through loudspeakers across Oghi and surrounding areas, warning shopkeepers, vendors, and property owners to clear encroachments voluntarily.

“If structures are not removed within the deadline, the TMA would launch a full-fledged anti-encroachment drive,” tehsil municipal officer Amir Shahzad told reporters.

He said encroachments not only blocked traffic flow but also caused serious inconvenience to pedestrians. The TMO said encroachments had marred the city’s beauty, and the TMA was determined to restore its original look by clearing such structures.

Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2025