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Dengue fever epidemic has begun in Pakistan
Last reviewed: 30.06.2025
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An epidemic of dengue fever has begun in Pakistan. According to the BBC, the dangerous infection is spreading among residents of the Punjab province in the east of the country, where at least eight fatal cases of the disease have been recorded.
Regional Health Minister Jehanzeb Khan said that more than 4,000 cases of dengue fever were reported in the province in 2011. According to the minister, this is significantly higher than the figures for the previous few years.
Khan noted that more than 3,500 people infected with dengue fever are residents of the capital of Punjab, Lahore. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the incidence of the infection in Lahore has been steadily increasing since 2007.
Javed Akram, head of a Lahore hospital, attributes the spread of the fever to poor sanitary conditions in the city. He said heavy rainfall during the last two monsoons had created numerous pools of water and lower temperatures, creating ideal conditions for mosquitoes to breed.
To protect children from mosquito bites, Punjab authorities have banned morning assembly in schools in the province. The provincial government is also currently discussing closing all schools for a 10-day period.
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