The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) issued a warning on Wednesday that the next two weeks will be “critical” as dengue infections continue to rise across the country.
Health institutions are reporting hundreds of new cases daily, with both public and private hospitals struggling to manage the influx of patients experiencing dengue symptoms such as fever and body aches.
Official data indicates that over 4,500 dengue cases have been reported in Punjab this year, with Sindh documenting around 1,600 cases, and Islamabad and Rawalpindi reporting 2,276 and 3,220 cases, respectively.
“The upcoming two weeks are crucial, as current atmospheric conditions are creating a favorable environment for dengue transmission,” stated Dr. Zaheer Ahmed Babar, a PMD director. He urged authorities to implement preemptive measures to combat the outbreak.
While dengue can be asymptomatic or mild in some cases, severe infections can be life-threatening. The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) expressed alarm over the increasing case numbers and called for immediate fumigation and sanitation efforts.
“Dengue is preventable, but it is spreading rapidly due to negligence,” warned PMA Secretary-General Abdul Ghafoor Shoro.
The PMD anticipates a decline in cases by November due to changing meteorological conditions, while the federal government continues awareness campaigns and fumigation in affected areas.
Health ministry spokesperson Sajid Hussain Shah assured that the government is “fully vigilant” and noted that dengue is “no longer as fatal as it once was.”
Shoro emphasized that early detection and effective clinical management could reduce fatalities to less than one percent, highlighting that Pakistan faces a significant burden of vector-borne diseases in the region.
