LAHORE: There is no let up in dengue epidemic, as another six people lost their lives due to dengue fever during the last 24 hours, raising the death toll to total 217 in Punjab; 193 in Lahore alone.

Director Health Information Management System (HIMS), Dr. Muhammad Anwar Janjua said here Thursday at a media briefing that Punjab health department has started work to evolve a long-term strategy for checking outbreak of viral diseases besides preparing a plan of training of general physicians regarding dengue.

He further said that measures regarding the case response and indoor spray and vector control were taken in 2,813 houses in 95 union councils of different towns of Lahore during last 24 hours. He said that CBC blood test of 23,631 patients was conducted at 10 blood centres set up in Lahore.

Dr Janjua informed media representatives that 16,066 dengue patients have recovered and discharged from various hospitals in Punjab so far, out of which 13,766 belonged to Lahore. As many as 267 confirmed dengue patients have been reported in Punjab during the last 24 hours, of which, 248 belonged to Lahore. The total number of dengue patients in the province has risen to 16,288, of which, 14,031 are from Lahore. He said that 1,353 patients are under treatment in different hospitals of the province, out of which, 1,198 are admitted in the hospitals of Lahore.

Vice-chancellor KEMU, Prof. Asad Aslam Khan informed that death rate is very low in the patients transferred from dengue ward to high dependency unit in Mayo Hospital; however, death rate is higher in those patients who are brought in a serious condition to the hospital with delay.