ISLAMABAD: Dengue fever continues to surge across Pakistan, with Balochistan’s Panjgur district witnessing a particularly alarming escalation that has prompted the declaration of a public health emergency.
Health officials report a sharp rise in infections among men, women, and children, with Khudabadan and Chitkan emerging as major hotspots. The spread is suspected to be linked to individuals arriving from already affected areas such as Karachi and Hub.
Local residents have voiced deep concern over the lack of fumigation campaigns and the absence of a functional dengue control unit, accusing authorities of negligence as cases climb.
National Party leader and Deputy Parliamentary Leader in the Balochistan Assembly, Rahmat Saleh Baloch, confirmed a rapid spike in dengue infections, citing severe shortages of testing kits, diagnostic facilities, and trained medical staff in local hospitals.
He urged the government to declare Panjgur a dengue-affected district and to implement emergency measures, including intensive fumigation drives, awareness campaigns, and the strengthening of local healthcare infrastructure.
Punjab:
The dengue situation in Punjab remains concerning, with 2,053 confirmed cases reported so far in 2025. In the past 24 hours alone, 42 new infections were detected across multiple districts.
Rawalpindi continues to report the highest number of cases (21), followed by Lahore (6), Sahiwal (4), Faisalabad (3), Sargodha (2), and one case each from Khanewal, Hafizabad, Vehari, Lodhran, Pakpattan, and Attock.
Rawalpindi:
In Rawalpindi, a total of 972 dengue cases have been recorded this year, including 24 new cases in the past 24 hours. Currently, 60 patients are receiving treatment in various local hospitals.
The District Health Authority (DHA) has undertaken extensive surveillance efforts, inspecting over 5.7 million homes. Dengue larvae were found in 180,947 residences, while 205,371 breeding sites were destroyed.
Out of 1.57 million total inspection sites, 24,424 were confirmed to contain larvae. Authorities have intensified enforcement actions, registering 4,509 FIRs, sealing 1,858 premises, and issuing 3,521 challans for violations of dengue prevention SOPs.
Fines amounting to Rs. 10.98 million have been collected as part of the crackdown on non-compliance.
Health experts warn that the continued rise in dengue infections across multiple provinces highlights serious gaps in vector control and preventive measures, urging coordinated national action before the outbreak worsens further.
