KARACHI - Two more people lost their life to dengue in the Sindh capital, bringing toll to 18 on Friday.
Confirming the deaths, the Sindh Dengue Surveillance Cell reported that 70 year-old-old Gulistan-e-Johar resident died in a private hospital after three day battle while another teen died on after four-day treatment.
More than 2,076 cases surfaced in the commercial hub of the country, 369 in Hyderabad and 28 cases from across other parts of Sindh. Dengue has been on killing spree in the province while authorities have been dragging their feet over the matter.
An expert Prof Dr Shahana Kazmi urged citizens to adopt precautionary measures to cope with dengue danger.
According to her dengue mosquitoes usually live between the latitudes of 35 North and 35 South below an elevation of 1,000 metres.
They typically bite during the day, particularly in the early morning and in the evening, but they are able to bite and thus spread infection at any time, she said. She said, “As many as 50 million dengue patients are reported annually in the world, while the disease has unleashed attack in almost 100 countries. Around 250 million people are at risk.
Staff Reporter from Lahore adds:  Punjab Health Secretary Hassan Iqbal said that no dengue death was reported during the current year in the province.
Briefing the Cabinet Committee here on Friday, he said that there was still need of continuous efforts due to increasing number of dengue patients in Swat, other areas of KPK and Karachi.
MPAs Nawaz Chohan, Ch Akram, Kiran Imran Dar and Dr Farzana Nazir besides Secretaries of government departments, Additional Secretaries, Additional Commissioner Lahore and officers of Special Branch and PITB attended the meeting.
Secretary Health told that 671 confirmed dengue patients have been reported in Punjab so far. However, 52 patients are under treatment in various hospitals at present and their condition is satisfactory. He said that no dengue patient is admitted in HDU. He told that 9000 patients in KPK and 2600 in Sindh have been reported and 35 and 14 deaths have occurred due to dengue respectively. He told that increase in the number of dengue patients in KPK is affecting Rawalpindi and its adjoining areas due to traveling of people. He said that due to increase in temperature and hot and humid weather due to rains, the breeding of dengue is increasing. However, due to hard working of the government departments and the concrete and practicable steps, the situation is under control. He said that the special measures regarding eradication of dengue have been taken in Rawalpindi and additional staff is working for surveillance.
He said that awareness campaign is also continuing. Senior officers of Labour, Local Government, Cooperative, Irrigation, Agriculture, Housing & Urban Development, Social Welfare, Auqaf and Environment departments and Commissioner Lahore Division gave briefings about the steps taken for the eradication of dengue in Lahore, Nankana, Kasur and Sheikhupura. Additional IG Special Branch and officers of PITB informed about the activities for controlling dengue and identified the problems.