PESHAWAR: Peshawar district is likely to record less dengue cases next year due to destruction of mosquito larva and awareness drive regarding breeding of mosquitoes during a two-week drive in the district, which remained epicentre of the virus from the last few years.

A health report said that province-wide tally of patients reached 5,939 as 76 patients, including 33 from provincial capital, were recorded on Monday. Hospitals admitted 47 new patients, it said.

“We have destroyed mosquito larva in 12, 816 houses of the total 435,564 inspected by workers, who told the people how to deny breeding sites to mosquitoes, the carriers of dengue virus from person to another,” Additional Deputy Commissioner Ashfaq Khan told Dawn.

He said that workers of livestock, irrigation department and polio staff took part in the exercise meant to meet members of the households and inform them that the disease was preventable provided they stopped storing water in uncovered pots.

Official says mosquito larva destroyed in 12,816 houses

The official said that the guidelines issued by WHO were taken into account while carrying out ‘indoor residual spray’ in addition to imparting simple tips to the people, especially in high-risk areas.

He said that people should wear long shirts and trousers in evening and use impregnated bed nets at night. He added that their staff, especially in endemic areas, also advised people on use of repellents to get protection against mosquito’s bites.

“We have destroyed mosquito larva in the presence of people in the door-to-door campaign in progress in all four towns,” said the official.

Experts said that case load would be much lesser next year in Peshawar, which recorded 2,373 dengue patients that year so far.

A total of 5,787 patients were treated in hospital so far. The WHO handed over two thermal foggers and 400 bed nets to health department, a separate press release said. The world health agency was assisting the government technically to prevent and diagnose dengue fever, it said.

Experts said that the WHO recommended measures for vector control and eliminating mosquito larva after 70 persons died of the 25,000 dengue-infected people in 2017. “Vector control is very important but province has only two epidemiologists, one works in malaria programme and another in tribal districts,” they said.

The province has sanctioned posts of entomologists. Despite recommendations by WHO, the province is yet to fill the positions.

The administration’s drive was required to reduce quantum of the cases as such an effort by the WHO in 25 endemic union councils in the aftermath of epidemic occurred two years ago and 50 per cent decline in cases was noticed after two weeks.

“Elimination of larva is recommended in the ongoing outbreak which will end when temperature drops down 13.5 degree Celsius,” said experts.

They said that 10 per cent of dengue affected people were admitted and one per cent of them could develop complications. Experts said that such campaigns should be supplemented with vector control measures to get the desired results.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2019