Dengue claims another life, death toll rises 6

RAWALPINDI: The dengue fever outbreak in the Rawalpindi region has claimed another life, bringing the total number of reported dengue-related deaths to six. Over the past 24 hours, the district recorded 118 new dengue cases, marking the highest single-day count.
According to the District Health Authority, a 65-year-old woman, Naseem Begum, succumbed to dengue fever in the Chak Jalal Din area, which remains the hardest-hit locality in Pothohar Town. However, the health authority later clarified that the official district death toll remains at five, as one of the deaths occurred outside the district. Initially, the sixth death was mistakenly included in the district’s statistics.
In the past 48 hours, 221 new cases have been reported from various parts of the city, with Pothohar Town recording the highest number of 118 cases. Despite ongoing awareness campaigns and surveillance efforts, the dengue outbreak continues to spread.
Currently, 202 patients are receiving treatment in allied hospitals, where the bed occupancy, initially capped at 300, is being expanded to 600 to accommodate the rising number of cases.
In total, there have been 1,476 confirmed dengue cases since January 2024. The overall number of viral disease fatalities this year stands at eight, with two deaths previously attributed to the Congo virus.