RAWALPINDI, PAKISTAN: The city is once again grappling with a surge in dengue cases as health authorities confirmed 19 new infections across three major public hospitals, taking the total tally to over 900 cases reported in the last three months.
According to official data, 66 patients are currently under treatment at Holy Family Hospital (HFH) in Satellite Town, while several others are admitted to Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) on Murree Road and Rawalpindi Teaching Hospital in Raja Bazaar.
Health experts have expressed growing concern over the mishandling of dengue patients in private clinics, warning that delayed referrals and misdiagnoses are worsening the situation. “We are seeing many patients arrive in critical condition because of late or improper treatment elsewhere,” a senior physician at HFH said.
The District Health Authority has launched an inspection drive to penalize clinics that fail to report dengue cases or refer serious patients promptly. Officials are also intensifying awareness campaigns urging citizens not to self-medicate and to seek immediate medical attention if they experience a fever lasting more than three days.
The latest cases have emerged from Afandi Colony, Khyaban-e-Sir Syed, Pindora, and Dhoke Kashmirian, as well as several areas within Rawalpindi and Chaklala cantonments, signaling widespread community transmission.
Public health teams have stepped up fogging and larval control operations, but with lingering monsoon humidity, experts fear a further uptick in mosquito breeding sites. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether Rawalpindi can avert a full-blown outbreak.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.