PESHAWAR: Dengue fever claimed two more lives here on Sunday, bringing death toll from the vector-borne disease to 20 in the province, according to a press release issued by the health depanment.

The release said that 312 persons were found to be newly dengue-affected of the total 1,679 suspects screened at hospitals across the province on Sunday, and 102 of them were hospitalised. Currently, 349 patients are being treated, mostly at the public sector hospitals, for the deadly fever.

Mansoor, 20, a resident of Sufaid Dheri Peshawar, and Sadaqat, 3, of Buner district, died at the Peshawar-based hospitals.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the district government`s representatives held under the chair of deputy commissioner Saqib Aslam Raza claimed that the disease was receding due to coordinated steps being taken in the affected areas of the capital city.

The participants were informed that 102,000 houses had been sprayed in the affected areas of Peshawar district and the number of teams had been enhanced to reach all the vulnerable localities to safeguard the people against the ailment.

The meeting, which was also attended by Town-lll Nazim Arbab Mohammad Ali, was informed that medicines had also been distributed in households in the affected areas and pamphlets were given to the people to inform them about the causes of the disease and steps to be taken for its prevention.

The teams had also women members who visited houses and informed their gender about precautions and ways to avoid mosquito bites. The people were being told to cover the water-containing utensils and pots and wear full-sleeve dresses and use bed nets while asleep. DC Aslam Raza said they had been requesting people`s cooperation to put brakes on the epidemic.-Bureau Report