Dengue Emergency Declared as Cases Surge
RAWALPINDI: In response to a significant rise in dengue cases, the administration in Rawalpindi has declared an emergency in the district
Deputy Commissioner officials have announced that protective measures are being implemented, including the establishment of emergency dengue counters throughout the district. Mobile teams are also active in efforts to combat the dengue virus, with officials warning that the new variant is considerably more dangerous than previous strains.
As the situation escalates, the World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a global plan to tackle dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases, emphasizing the urgency due to their rapid spread linked to climate change. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated, “The rapid spread of dengue and other arboviral diseases in recent years is an alarming trend that demands a coordinated response across sectors and borders.”
The UN health agency reported that the number of dengue cases has nearly doubled each year since 2021, with over 12.3 million cases and more than 7,900 deaths recorded in the first eight months of 2024 alone—almost double the 6.5 million cases reported for the entire year of 2023.
