Infection Hazard - Dengue Fever

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa confirmed 71 new dengue cases in the last 24 hours, according to a report from the Directorate-General Health Services. Of these, 27 patients are hospitalised, bringing the current number of admitted dengue patients to 48. Since the start of the year, the province has recorded 3,582 confirmed cases, 1,474 hospitalisations, and two deaths. Most patients have recovered, but authorities remain concerned.Experts link the growing spread of dengue to changing climate patterns. Provincial Medical Entomologist Salahuddin Khan Marwat explained that moderate temperatures, high humidity, and extended monsoon rains have created ideal conditions for mosquito breeding. He said mosquitoes thrive between 18°C and 25°C, which is common in October. This is why KP sees a spike in cases during this month.Dengue was once limited to specific districts like Peshawar and Mardan, but is now appearing in new areas. Marwat said cases have been reported as far as Chitral, showing that global warming and increased travel are helping the disease spread. To manage this, the government has prepared 1,500 to 1,600 hospital beds across districts and distributed 400,000 test kits to health offices.However, experts warn against relying too much on insecticide sprays. Marwat noted that sprays can kill helpful insects and may lead to resistance in mosquitoes. He said global health strategies now focus more on environmental cleaning and preventing mosquito breeding than spraying. Sprays should only be used selectively and responsibly.Public cooperation is crucial in controlling the outbreak. Marwat urged citizens to spend just 20 minutes daily cleaning water containers and surroundings. He said that such small actions by households could help eliminate breeding grounds citywide. He also mentioned that awareness drives and school programmes are in progress, but community involvement remains a major challenge.