RAWALPINDI: Three more people have been diagnosed with dengue virus in Rawalpindi, taking the number of affected patients to 60.

At least 40 people were killed and overall 1400 were infected by the deadly disease last year. According to reports, dengue awareness counter in District Headquarter (DHQ) hospital has been reported disabled.

Dengue fever is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes and is a global public health concern. There is no vaccine available in Pakistan for the virus, which kills an estimated 20,000 people each year and infects up to 100 million across the world, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

People have been advised to use mosquito nets and insect repellents and to avoid storing water in open pots where the larvae can breed.