The series of dengue outbreaks continues in Rawalpindi city. In the past 24 hours, 22 new cases have been reported, according to the District Health Authority Rawalpindi which has released its latest dengue report.
According to this report, a total of 815 suspected dengue cases have been confirmed in Rawalpindi. The organisation has confirmed that no deaths have been reported so far due to dengue.
So far in 2025, screening of 12,338 patients has been completed. Currently, 88 dengue patients are under treatment in various hospitals across Rawalpindi, according to the District Health Authority.
In the district, 1,499 teams are actively participating in the anti-dengue campaign. So far, inspections of 1,509,479 sites have been completed.
According to the District Health Authority Rawalpindi, the presence of dengue larvae has been confirmed at 23,227 sites and a total of 195,753 larvae have been recovered this year
According to the District Health Officer (DHO) Rawalpindi Dr. Jawad, 4,413 FIRs have been registered over SOP violations.
Additionally, “3,475 challans have been issued, and fines amounting to more than Rs. 10.8 million have been imposed,” said Dr. Jawad. He also mentioned that a total of 1,843 premises have been sealed for dengue-related violations.
During the last 24 hours, new dengue cases have been reported from Amarpura and Khanna Dak, as well as from Chaklala, Girja, Dhama Syedan, Lakhan, and Dhoke Gangal. Girja reported 4 new cases, Dhama Syedan 2, and Lakhan 2 cases.
Residents are urged not to let water accumulate in their homes and to maintain cleanliness, as advised by the District Health Authority Rawalpindi.
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Health experts cautioned that Lahore could face a serious dengue risk because of its humid weather, stagnant water in flood-affected areas and under-resourced healthcare facilities. Lahore recorded 15 new cases, pushing its total to 245, while Rawalpindi added 20 new cases, bringing its cumulative count to 676.
In major government hospitals in Lahore, patients and their families complained of delays, absent dengue counters, and crowded wards. In Mayo Hospital, a visitor complained of having found the dengue counter inactive and no other guidance mechanism.
Staff at the Services Hospital admitted that the dengue desk was not regularly manned, leaving overworked nurses to face patients. Patients waiting for treatment included children suffering from high fever. The rising workload forced patients to seek treatment from private clinics.
A doctor in Gulberg said the number of suspected dengue cases had doubled in the past two weeks with many patients arriving after facing long waits in government hospitals. However, private treatment is costly as diagnostic labs in Ichhra and other areas charge around Rs3,000 per test, which is unaffordable for many citizens.
Long queues in labs are becoming common. Many laboratories run out of test kits during the day. On the other hand, preventive measures in Lahore’s neighbourhoods remain inconsistent. In Shahdara, Kot Lakhpat and Allama Iqbal Town, pools of stagnant water serve as mosquito breeding sites. Residents complain that fumigation teams visit the areas irregularly, stay briefly and fail to cover entire localities.
Many families buy anti-mosquito sprays themselves but fear that this will not be enough if the outbreak worsens. Health authorities continue to claim that the situation is under control and directives have been issued to maintain dengue counters in hospitals.
Read More: ‘Ineffective’ strategy fuels dengue surge in Pindi
Doctors warn that the official figures may partially represent the situation, as cases handled in private medical facilities are rarely integrated into government data. They said the hospital dengue counters should be staffed adequately, testing kept affordable and fumigation campaigns intensified to prevent the ailment from spreading.
Lahore Deputy Commissioner Syed Musa Raza visited Multan Road, Sabzazar and Babu Sabu to monitor the anti-dengue campaign. He inspected cleanliness arrangements and administrative matters in detail.
The DC also directed officials to continue removing banners, posters, and other forms of visual pollution, while the regulation wing was tasked with launching indiscriminate operations to eliminate encroachments. He also ordered the immediate removal of nomadic huts and cattle sheds from residential areas.
WASA officials were instructed to ensure prompt cleaning of the Sabzazar L Block drain, improve sewerage and water supply systems, and replace broken manhole covers. The DC reviewed the performance of anti-dengue teams in Sabzazar. He inspected field operations and was briefed on the elimination of larvae, house spraying, and sticker placement on affected houses as per standard operating procedures.
He directed the teams to intensify surveillance, ensure daily monitoring of dengue hotspots, and expand the public awareness drive. He said no negligence would be tolerated in the anti-dengue campaign. The DC urged citizens to keep their homes and surroundings clean, cooperate with anti-dengue teams, and report the presence of larvae.
