As many as eight dengue-positive cases had been reported in the Rawalpindi district this year, but there was a need to remain vigilant to control the spread of the fatal disease as the prevailing weather was suitable for breeding larvae.
District Coordinator Epidemics Prevention and Control Dr Sajjad Mehmood told APP, that four patients were admitted to the District Headquarters Hospital, three to the Holy Family Hospital, and one to the Shifa International Hospital.
Giving details of the punitive actions, the health officer said that the district administration, in collaboration with allied departments, had registered 107 FIRs, sealed 62 premises, issued Challans to 134, notices to 752, and a fine of Rs 244,600 imposed on violations of dengue SOPs in 2023. 21 people were also arrested for violating SOPs, he added. Dr Sajjad informed that 1,124 health teams during indoor surveillance checked around 155,313 houses and found larvae at 1,148 sites. Similarly, while inspecting 56,393 sites during outdoor vector surveillance,the 493 teams detected larvae at 236 spots.
He added that anti-dengue activities were also being carried out in the private housing societies, whether registered with RDA, Cooperatives, or unregistered societies. Dr Sajjad informed that puddles of water, which get stagnant due to rain, become breeding grounds for mosquitoes and spread diseases like malaria and dengue fever.
