ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Thursday warned that at least 10 Pakistani cities could face a dengue outbreak in October, advising all stakeholders to take “preemptive measures.”
Dengue is an illness that spreads through vectors, carried by the bite of an infected mosquito. There is currently no cure or vaccine for dengue fever, which in its most severe form can lead to fatalities.
People affected by dengue go through intense flu-like symptoms including high fever, intense headache, muscle and joint pain, and nausea and vomiting, typically persisting for approximately a week.
“Based on the analysis, the environment has become conducive from mid of September 2024 for dengue onset and it is predicted that it may outbreak in October 2024, particularly in ten major cities of Pakistan i.e., Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Hyderabad, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Larkana and Multan as well as in post monsoon rainfall affected areas of Pakistan,” PMD said in an advisory.
“It is advised to all stakeholders to take preemptive measures for the dengue outbreak in the districts. National Health agencies and Dengue control centers are advised to keep themselves updated on the PMD website.”
The PMD said dengue outbreaks occured in the post-monsoon season, which usually falls between Sept. 20 and Dec. 5 if conditions are favorable.
It said the active period for dengue attacks was two hours after sunrise and two hours before sunset, while breeding stopped once the temperature fell below 16°C.
Dengue fever is endemic to Pakistan, which experiences year-round transmission with seasonal peaks.
An advisory published by Pakistan’s National Institute of Health in 2023 said a total of 52,929 cases and 224 deaths from dengue were reported in the country in 2021, while there were approximately 79,007 confirmed cases of dengue with 149 deaths in 2022, with a surge in cases following unprecedented flooding that began in mid-June 2022.
In 2023, Pakistan reported 3,019 suspected cases and eight deaths from dengue.
The virus has been surging worldwide, aided by climate change.
Dengue cases substantially increased in the Americas this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in May, which indicates the mosquito-borne viral illness remains a high-risk threat to public health.
The UN agency said the number of cases in the Americas exceeded 7 million by the end of April, already surpassing the annual high of 4.6 million in 2023.
In comparison, over 7.6 million dengue cases and about 3,000 deaths were reported globally during the same period.
