MANSEHRA: The Upper Kohistan administration, in collaboration with the health department, has adopted various measures to contain the outbreak of the dengue virus and plans to launch awareness sessions in the affected areas of the district.
“Kohistan, in light of its previous epidemic history, already stands among the hotspots of the dengue virus. We have to take extra measures to contain its outbreak following the first spell of monsoon rains across the district,” Azizullah Jan, the deputy commissioner of Upper Kohistan, told a meeting held at his office on Friday.
Besides others, the district health officer, medical superintendent of the District Headquarters Hospital, Dasu, and representatives of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation, Public Health Department and other devolved departments attended the meeting. The heads and representatives of various departments also briefed the meeting regarding their preparedness to effectively contain the spread of dengue.
“The Indus River, which divides the population, is one of the major breeding grounds for dengue larvae, and we have to protect settlements along the riverside by carrying out fumigation sprays and filling holes and ditches,” Jan said.The deputy commissioner said that tyres dumped on rooftops or lying in open areas at shops should immediately be emptied of stagnant water and removed from exposed places.
