ISLAMABAD, SEPT 22 (DNA) – Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr. Zafar Mirza on Sunday said that government is fully focused to address the outbreak of dengue virus in the country.Addressing a news conference in Islamabad on Sunday, he said all necessary arrangements are being made regarding outbreak response and coordination among center and provinces has also been increased.Dr Zafar Mirza said more than ten thousand dengue patients have been identified through screening tests across the country, including 2363 from Punjab 2258 from Sindh 1814 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 1772 from Balochistan.
He said an emergency health center has been established at National Institute of Health Islamabad to update the general public regarding latest information on the outbreak of the virus.
The special assistant said sixteen inactive medical units in outskirts of Islamabad have been made functional to provide medical facility to dengue patients.
He said two hotlines have been established for the provision of experts opinion to general public regarding dengue control and patients treatment.
On the other hand, the virus has been diagnosed in 210 more patients in Rawalpindi while Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujrat, Rahim Yar Khan and other cities have also got affected by the disease.
Dengue fever is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes and is a global public health concern.
There is no vaccine available in Pakistan for the virus, which kills an estimated 20,000 people each year and infects up to 100 million across the world, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).=DNA
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