RAWALPINDI: As many as 62 more people went down with the mosquito-borne disease on Monday, taking the tally to 1,996in the current season.

Officials said 223 cases were reported to three government hospitals in the last 24 hours, and 62 of them were confirmed dengue patients.

A total of 281 dengue patients are admitted in Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi Teaching Hospital, Benazir Bhutto Hospital and tehsil headquarters hospitals.

Most of the patients arrived from Dhamial, Dhoke Munshi, Chak Jalaldin, Rehmatabad, Girja, Raniyal, Khayaban Janobi, Dhoke Kashmirian, New Parrian, Shakrial, Dhoke Kala Khan, Muslim Town, Chah Sultan, Chamanzar, Dhoke Hassu, Peshawar Road Afshan Colony, Dhoke Syedan, Gulistan Colony, Dheri Hassanabad, Tench Bhatta, Adra and adjoining areas of Rawalpindi and Chaklala cantonments.

According to official figures, three dengue patients are critical while the remaining were getting treatment. Out of the total1,996 cases, over 700 were from Rawalpindi and Chaklala cantonment areas and the rest from Potohar Town, Rawal Town and other five tehsils of Rawalpindi.

Not sufficient measures have been taken in the cantonment areas and there is no facility for the dengue patients at the Rawalpindi Cantonment Hospital.

On the other hand, District Health Authority (DHA) sped up fogging in the high risk union councils.

`As per recommendation of dengue experts, we are conducting fogging in areas from where dengue patients have reported. We have started fogging in areas where adult dengue mosquitoes were found during surveillance,` said DHA Chief Executive Officer Dr Asif Arbab Niazi while talking to Dawn.

He said that the special focus was on low-lying areas along Leh Nullah where rainwater had accumulated. He said people had been told to get tested for dengue immediately from the Clinics on Wheels or government hospitals in case of fever. He said that border areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad were also priority of the healthauthority as most of the patients had reported from there.

Meanwhile, Punjab Dengue Focal Person MNA Tahira Aurangzeb along with Deputy Commissioner Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema visited Dhoke Munshi and inspected the Clinic on Wheel camp. They also visited the house of a dengue patient in Dhoke Munshi and reviewed the process ofcase response andfocusing.

The DC said the current month was very critical as regard to dengue, adding surveillance teams should inform people about prevention of the virus.

He said local people should be informed about the facilities provided in Clinics on Wheels camps and dengue test must be done in case of a mild fever. He said people should take the patient to hospital instead of keeping them at home when the dengue test was positive.

He said the district administration was taking all possible measures in collaboration with the health department to control dengue. Public cooperation is imperative to check the spread of the dengue virus, he said. Aamir Yasin