Updated on
Summary Dengue fever is gripping Punjab fast, with scarce steps from authorities to control it.
Total number of dengue patients has reached 945. In Punjab, 100 new cases have been reported during the last 24 hours. Out of these, 99 were reported in Lahore.There are total 856 reported dengue cases in provincial metropolis Lahore, while one case each in Faisalabad, and Gujranwala.Two cases were reported from DG Khan during last week.Dengue is an acute illness of sudden onset that usually follows a benign course with symptoms such as headache, fever, exhaustion, severe muscle and joint pain, swollen glands (lymphadenopathy), and rash. The presence (the dengue triad) of fever, rash, and headache (and other pains) is particularly characteristic of dengue. Other signs of dengue fever include bleeding gums, severe pain behind the eyes, and red palms and soles.Dengue strikes people with low levels of immunity. Because it is caused by one of four serotypes of virus, it is possible to get dengue fever multiple times. However, an attack of dengue produces immunity for a lifetime to that particular serotype to which the patient was exposed.The virus is contracted from the bite of a striped Aedes aegypti mosquito that has previously bitten an infected person. The mosquito flourishes during rainy seasons but can breed in water-filled flower pots, plastic bags, and cans year-round. One mosquito bite can inflict the disease.The prevention of dengue fever requires control or eradication of the mosquitoes carrying the virus that causes dengue.According to the residents of Lahore, the Punjab government was not taking sufficient steps to eradicate the dengue epidemic while mosquitoes were increasing due to rain water in different areas of the city.
