OUR STAFF REPORTER LAHORE After taking a day off on Sunday, the ruthless dengue again came back on killing spree, putting to sword four people including one woman on Monday, taking the death toll in the City to 327. Besides taking lives of four more persons in a day, the deadly dengue continued to force the Lahorites to approach public sector hospitals and private healthcare in the City for preliminary tests, confirming 162 new cases on Monday and as such taking the overall tally to 31547. Shamim (40), a resident of Gia Bagga, and Muhammad Waqas (21) of Manga Mandi breathed their last at Jinnah Hospital, Muhammad Sarwar (65) of Chungi Amar Sadhu at Lahore General Hospital while Muhammad Ramzan (30) of Baghbanpura died at Services Hospital. Out of 162 new dengue cases, 19 were tested positive at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, 17 at Services Hospital, 13 at Lahore General Hospital, 12 at Sheikh Zayed Hospital, 11 at Mayo Hospital, 09 at Jinnah Hospital, 08 at Institute of Public Health and 06 at Childrens Hospital while the remaining were reported from other public sector hospitals and private healthcare centres in the City. According to the Punjab Health Department, four dengue patients died on Monday, taking death toll in Punjab to 298 including 261 in Lahore. As many as 87 new cases were reported from across the province including 49 in Lahore. As such total numbers of dengue patients in Punjab has reached 19975 including 16814 in Lahore. So far 19672 dengue patients have been cured and discharged from different hospitals in Punjab including 16761 from Lahore. At present 777 dengue patients are under treatment at various hospitals of the province, out of which, 559 are in Lahore. As many as 193 dengue patients have been cured and discharged from various hospitals of Lahore during the last 24 hours. Out of these, 69 were discharged from Mayo Hospital, 55 from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, 29 from Services Hospital, 19 from Jinnah Hospital, 05each from LGH and Said Mitha Hospital, 04 from Children Hospital and 02 each from Kot Khawaja Saeed Hospital and Nawaz Sharif Hospital Yakki Gate. Briefing the newsmen at King Edward Medical University, Secretary Health Punjab Muhammad Jehanzeb Khan said that the Punjab Chief Minister has given approval for the constitution of Expert Advisory Group for treatment of dengue patients. This group will comprise Prof Faisal Masood, Prof Javed Akram, Prof Tariq Sallahuddin, Prof Rakhshanda Rehman and Prof Tahir Masood. 25 associate professors and assistant professors have joined this group voluntarily so far. Jehanzeb Khan said that these medical experts would visit hospitals in the morning and evening for providing treatment to dengue patients. He told that during vector surveillance, dengue mosquito larvae have been found in three percent places outside the houses and only one percent inside the houses which proves that due to public awareness and governmental steps, dengue virus has been controlled to a large extent. He said that in the meeting of WHO in Cairo, efforts of Pakistani doctors regarding eradication of dengue have been appreciated and Dr Margaret Chen of WHO terming the steps taken by the Punjab government towards right direction has declared the reporting honest. He said that foreign experts lauding the performance of Pakistani doctors said that they have gained expertise regarding dengue within shortest time. He said that after Lahore, Faisalabad was badly affected by dengue and health department was monitoring the situation closely. Moreover, steps have been taken for treatment of patients and eradication of dengue virus. He said that if compared with the previous year, this was the peak season of dengue but due to governmental steps and cooperation of the masses, it was gradually decreasing. To a question, Secretary Health said that a seminar was also held in town hall for creating awareness among Hakims and Homoeopaths regarding dengue as they were not provided training in any hospital.