Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Health experts have advised the citizens of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad to take special preventive measures to protect them from the Dengue virus. According to them, they should properly dispose of solid waste and stop water storage practices at their residences to prevent any access to egg-laying female mosquitoes. They said mosquitoes breeded primarily in containers like earthenware jars, metal drums and concrete cisterns used for domestic water storage, as well as discarded plastic food containers and even used automobile tyres and other items that collect rain water. Dr Wasim Khawaja from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), said that Dengue was a mosquito-borne infection, which in recent years had become a major public health concern. He explained that Dengue fever is a severe, flu-like illness that affects infants, young children and adults. He added the spread of Dengue is attributed to expanding geographic distribution of the four Dengue viruses and of their mosquito vectors, the most important of which is the predominantly urban species which is known as “aedes aegypti”. He said the rapid growth of the urban population is bringing ever greater numbers of people into contact with this vector, especially in areas that are favourable for mosquito breeding like places where household water storage is common and where solid waste disposal services are inadequate. He said that Dengue viruses were transmitted to humans through the bites of infective female “aedes” mosquitoes. He added mosquitoes generally acquire the virus while feeding on the blood of an infected person.