LAHORE: A drop of 10 Celsius degrees in the temperature over the last 10 days has curtailed the exponential growth of dengue larva which is likely to eliminate by the second week after arrival of westerly waves in the first week of November, said sources from the meteorological department.

It may be noted that the minimum temperature of the city of Lahore has dropped to 15ºC at present from 25ºC on an average about 10 days earlier. In South Punjab, it has dropped further to 12ºC due to the dry weather.

The sources have pointed out that a drop in temperature in Punjab has started before time, therefore, the province would get rid of the dengue larva two weeks before the routine. At present, they said, the minimum temperature is 3.5ºC in Rawla Kot, followed by 9ºC each in Murree and Garhi Dopatta, 10.5ºC in Attock, 11ºC in Islamabad, 12.8ºC in Shorkot, 13ºC in Sargodha, and 13.8ºC in Toba Tek Singh.

They said a temperature level of 14ºC is considered to be a threshold for the elimination of dengue larva, as it stops growing below it. On the higher end, the bar is set at 35ºC, they added. Director PMD, Shahid Abbas, when contacted, said that a delay starts taking place in the conceiving of the dengue larva after a drop in temperature from 14ºC, which would be the situation on ground after the next entry of westerly waves by early November. The dengue fever would stop spreading like a pandemic after that, he added.

He further pointed out that more rains are expected in early November with the advent of westerly waves, which would drift away smog further in the urban areas. Also, he said, the timely rains would result in another bumper wheat crop next year. An early drop in the level of temperatures could only be a cause of concern for the medical practitioners, as an absence of the dry weather has saved the people from throat infections in general, he said on a lighter note.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021