RAWALPINDI: For the first time since 2011, the number of dengue patients in Murree has surpassed Rawalpindi, as confirmed cases in the hilly district rose to 62.
Meanwhile, 59 dengue patients have been reported in Rawalpindi district so far this year.
This year, dengue cases in Murree have been reported from Ghel and Paghwari union councils and the numbers are still rising.
In the Rawalpindi division, 62 cases have been confirmed in Murree, 59 in Rawalpindi, one in Jhelum, four in Chakwal and five in Attock.
Majority of the cases in Murree have been reported from Ghel and Paghwari union councils
A senior official of the district administration told Dawn that dengue surveillance in Murree had not been conducted earlier due to a shortage of staff. Surveillance began only after the virus started spreading. He said the Rawalpindi District Health Authority was managing health affairs in Murree despite it being declared a separate district.
He added that once dengue cases were detected, the Murree district administration launched a drive to control the virus. Around 300 workers were deployed in Murree after the virus spread in two main union councils.
Deputy Commissioner Murree Agha Zaheer Shirazi told Dawn that the district administration had launched an anti-dengue campaign to prevent further spread of the virus and protect residents.
He said teams had been deployed to carry out fogging and that 441 workers from different departments were trained and assigned for fogging and surveillance.
“We obtained necessary supplies from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, including 1,300 nets, 10,000 bottles of anti-mosquito lotion, IRS machines and other items,” he added.
“Section 144 has been imposed along streams and junkyards, and due to this, the number of patients is declining with each passing day. We expect the flow of patients to end by mid-September or October as temperatures fall further,” he said.
On the other hand, Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema said an anti-dengue campaign had been launched, supervised by parliamentarians and assistant commissioners.
He said rainfall had created problems for the campaign, but stressed that the work must be completed to protect people from the virus. He added that the provincial government had provided all necessary resources, and it was the duty of officials to carry out their responsibilities.
He said monitoring of all graveyards and junkyards had started, and parliamentarians would inspect and report shortcomings in the campaign. Strict action, he added, would be taken against negligence.
Meanwhile, the Attock district has reported a total of five confirmed dengue cases to date.
The cases are spread across several tehsils, with Hassanabdal registering one (UC Burhan), Fatehjang one (urban area), Pindigheb two, including one imported (UC Ikhlas and UC Kamrial) and Attock city one (urban area).
Despite the confirmed cases, authorities emphasised that all infections were sporadic, with no clusters detected, and that swift case-response protocols had been activated.
Alongside immediate patient care, extensive anti-dengue operations—including surveillance and larva control—are underway across the district to prevent further spread.
When contacted, Chief Executive District Health Authority Dr Asad Ismail said all confirmed patients had been treated according to standard operating procedures and that comprehensive vector control operations had been launched.
“Our teams are visiting high-risk areas daily. Larvicidal activities and awareness campaigns are ongoing, and public cooperation is essential to keep the situation under control,” he added.
Responding to a question, he said that in line with provincial strategies, Attock’s health authorities were employing intensive surveillance, rapid response teams, larval elimination drives, public awareness campaigns, and inter-departmental coordination to curb the disease.
He said the district health office was liaising with education and local bodies to ensure clean water storage, schoolyard inspections, and vector-free environments, especially ahead of the monsoon period.
Meanwhile, residents in Pindigheb and Attock city expressed concern over stagnant water in open plots and under-construction areas. “We appreciate the government’s efforts, but stricter action is needed to remove breeding sites permanently,” said Muhammad Riaz, a shopkeeper in UC Kamrial.
While dengue activity in Attock remains relatively contained this year, Punjab in previous years has experienced far more severe outbreaks.
Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2025
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