OUR STAFF REPORTER LAHORE - The number of causalities caused by dengue is going up by the day, despite all measures being taken by the Punjab government. The deadly sting claimed seven more lives in the City on Tuesday. The tally climbs to 43. According to confirmed reports the new surge in the dengue cases reaches to 974 in the provincial capital out of 1110 total cases reported across the province in the last 24 hours. While the unconfirmed reports stated that number of new cases was 1043 in the provincial metropolis. It may be noted here that according to the Health Department figures, on Monday, 205 new dengue patients had been reported in Punjab out of which 173 belonged to the provincial metropolis. The new victims of the killing mosquito include Muqadas Bibi 20, died at Jinnah Hospital, Nasreen Bibi 28, died at Ittefaq Hospital, Khalil 32 succumbed to the deadly sting at Mayo Hospital, Javed Iqbal 35 also died at Mayo Hospital, while Mubarik Ali 25, Parveen Bibi 40 and Muhammad Suba Khan 65 died at the General Hospital. The unconfirmed reports stated that Farhat Usman 45 and Muhammad Tariq 50 also died of dengue at Ganga Ram Hospital. The health department and various hospitals authorities confirmed 36 deaths in total due to the dengue so far in the provincial metropolis. Secretary Agriculture Captain (retd) Arif Nadeem giving media briefing at KEMU, informed that 620 patients were unde treatment in different hospitals of the City and all the medical facilities were being provided free of cost. He further informed that the total number of dengue patients in the province 7776 while this number was 7100 in Lahore since late Monday night, while the 1110 new cases have been reported during the last 24 hours in the province out of which 974 cases relate to Lahore. He claimed that 6666 dengue fever patients have recovered in Punjab so far. Secretary Agriculture said that government has constituted a committee headed by Surgeon Medico legal Punjab Dr. Nasim Haider to probe and verify the alleged deaths due to dengue fever, which would submit its report to government after complete scrutiny of such case. Replying a question, Arif said that a high-level committee has already been constituted under the supervision of Member National Assembly Bilal Yasin for negotiating with pharmaceutical companies and their distributors in order to maintain the prices of medicines at per routine. The development came against the background of masses complaints about shortage of Paracetamol, a basic medicine for dengue for the past several hours, while dozens of medical stores have been sealed on the orders of the Chief Minister for overcharging people. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has revised the remuneration from Rs325 to Rs500 for fumigation team members. The Chief Minister has also ordered strict action against private hospitals that are violating government policies regarding the virus control. While PML-N member National Assembly Khawaja Saad Rafique claimed on Monday that 500,000 anti-dengue kits had been distributed in Lahore, which included a brochure, spray pump and lotion, however the kits havent reached so far. Moreover, Srilankan team of dengue experts visited various hospitals of the provincial capital and briefed the doctors, para-medical staff and the patients about the treatment of the virus. The Srilankan team on visit to Children Hospital was told that there 44 children patients of dengue. The team has advised the doctors and the staff to upgrade the medical facilities for the children.