Dengue cases in Peshawar have surged, with 642 active cases reported across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as of October 14.
The spread of the virus has prompted intensified efforts by health authorities to curb the outbreak, particularly as dengue larvae were detected in 379 homes out of 219,501 inspected last week. The rising number of dengue cases in Peshawar has raised concerns over the increasing risk of infection in the city.
Health teams have conducted large-scale inspections to address the issue, checking 1,141,955 water storage tanks and containers inside homes and 39,253 outdoor breeding sites, of which 413 were confirmed positive for dengue larvae.
These breeding sites were treated using both mechanical and chemical methods to eliminate the threat. The extensive efforts to combat dengue cases in Peshawar include targeted spray treatments in 934 homes where active cases were reported, aiming to reduce the spread of the virus within affected communities.
Dr. Fazal Rahman, Director of Vector-Borne Diseases, highlighted the critical role of Lady Health Workers (LHWs) and Community Health Workers (CHWs) in the campaign to stop the breeding of mosquitoes.
These workers have been actively visiting homes to identify and mechanically destroy mosquito breeding sites, while also educating residents on how to prevent further outbreaks.
In addition to on-ground interventions, awareness campaigns have been ramped up to engage the public in dengue prevention. A total of 6,657 awareness sessions were held for men, reaching 55,118 participants, where they discussed strategies to control the spread of dengue. For women, 37,815 sessions were conducted across various districts, informing 185,021 women about precautions, prevention, and treatment options related to dengue.
To further raise awareness, 12 dengue-focused walks were organized in different parts of Peshawar, where 6,027 banners and brochures were distributed among the public. These outreach efforts are designed to increase community involvement in combating the outbreak, which remains a serious public health challenge.
Despite these efforts, the rise in dengue cases in Peshawar underscores the urgency of ongoing public health initiatives. With the virus continuing to spread, authorities are calling for heightened vigilance and cooperation from the public to contain the outbreak and protect vulnerable populations.
