Daily Times

PUNJAB: The number of dengue fever cases has started to decrease in Punjab as the province reported 103 new cases of mosquito-borne viral infection in the last 24 hours.

According to the secretary of primary and secondary health Punjab, so far the province has recorded 21,507 dengue fever cases. Lahore reported 15,732 cases out of them. Moreover, 93 people have lost their lives fighting the dengue virus.

Meanwhile, Secretary Specialized Health Care, Dr Ahmed Javed said that the number of dengue cases is decreasing in Lahore. He added that 1,257 beds reserved for dengue fever patients at the government hospitals of Lahore are vacant.

Out of 1,061 beds dedicated for dengue patients at the private hospitals of Lahore, 535 are vacant.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral disease that has rapidly spread in recent years around the world.

Dengue virus is transmitted by female mosquitoes mainly of the species Aedes aegypti and, to a lesser extent, Ae. albopictus.

These mosquitoes are also vectors of chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika viruses. Dengue is widespread throughout the tropics, with local variations in risk influenced by rainfall, temperature, relative humidity and unplanned rapid urbanization.