Dengue in KP: 3,771 cases and 2 deaths, Kohat hit hardest with 2,319 as governor orders emergency steps

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has reported 3,771 dengue cases and two deaths this season, and Kohat accounts for 2,319 of them, officials told a meeting chaired by Governor Faisal Karim Kundi in Peshawar, The Express Tribune reported on Sunday 18 October.

The numbers

The report did not say where the two deaths occurred.

What the governor ordered

• Kohat's district administration must take emergency measures to control the outbreak and report progress to him.
• Other affected districts must act at once with their district administrations.
• Money and supplies for the anti-dengue campaign must reach district administrations on priority.

Officials blamed climate change, unplanned urban growth, poor sanitation and power load-shedding, among other things, for the spread. A provincial action plan assigns jobs to each department, surveillance is being tightened so cases are picked up faster, and a public awareness campaign is under way. Health Advisor Lt Gen (retd) Nigar Johar and the health secretary attended.

How to protect your family

The dengue mosquito breeds in clean standing water and bites mostly in the daytime, especially early morning and late afternoon.

1. Empty standing water at least once a week: flower pots, coolers, tyres, water tanks without lids, rooftop buckets.
2. Cover up: long sleeves and repellent, especially for children going to school.
3. Use nets and screens, including for daytime naps.
4. Get tested early if you have a high fever with body ache, pain behind the eyes or a rash. Doctors advise against aspirin and ibuprofen when dengue is suspected; ask your doctor before taking any painkiller.

Our guide to dengue test prices in Pakistan explains which test to ask for (NS1 in the first days of fever, then CBC for platelets) and what each costs.

Peak dengue season in Pakistan usually runs until mid-November, when cooler nights slow the mosquitoes down.