14 patients test positive for dengue fever in federal capital

ISLAMABAD: As many as 14 patients have so far been confirmed positive for dengue fever from rural areas of the federal capital this month and alarming is the fact that 12 of them are residents of Union Council Rawat.It is important that the first two confirmed cases of dengue fever this year were also reported from Rawat in the first week of July while the District Health Office Islamabad had already started field activities in the rural areas for prevention of the infection.Data collected by ‘The News’ on Saturday has revealed that in last two weeks, a total of nine confirmed cases of dengue fever have been reported from Rawat while one each from union councils Tarlai and Tarnol.Though to date, 14 patients have been confirmed positive for dengue fever, the situation is well under control and the health department is working hard to contain the disease, said District Health Officer Islamabad Dr. Muhammad Najeeb Durrani while talking to ‘The News’ on Saturday.The rapid response teams of the health department carried out case response activity immediately after reports of the cases for surveillance against dengue fever, he said.The teams of health department have been performing fogging and fumigation activities in the field repeatedly because the repeated rain spells spoil the effects of fogging and fumigation particularly the effects of temiphos sprinkled on unnecessary water reservoirs which cannot be removed, said Dr. Durrani.He added the health department has deployed as many as 70 lady health workers for indoor surveillance against dengue fever in UC Rawat where population is at higher risk of contracting the infection. The LHWs are actively running awareness campaign and carrying out activities for elimination of mosquitoes from within houses, he said.He said the teams of health department have performed insecticidal residual spray in houses in the areas from where confirmed cases have been reported. The IRS has been performed inside the confirmed patient’s house and 12 houses on each side of the patients’ residence, he said.

from The News International - National https://ift.tt/2YliHof