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Dengue Surge: Refugee Camps Fuel Kohat Outbreak
13 Sep
Summary
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported 148 new dengue cases this week.
- Kohat district leads with 71 infections and 274 total cases.
- Stagnant water in refugee camps is identified as the primary source.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa health department has deployed a rapid response team to Kohat district due to a sharp increase in dengue cases. This surge is primarily attributed to stagnant water in Afghan refugee camps, which officials have identified as the main source of mosquito breeding. The province recorded 148 new dengue cases in the past week, bringing the total for the season to 729, the highest weekly tally to date.
Kohat district has reported 71 new infections, leading the province with a total of 274 cases, followed by Peshawar with 241. Other affected districts include Bannu (72 cases) and Haripur (35 cases). The province is now in the "endemic phase" for dengue, with cases expected to rise until October. The rapid response team, working with district health authorities, assessed the situation and confirmed that the failure to level the refugee camps, despite requests, is a critical factor.
Officials emphasize that while chemical spraying is done periodically, it is not a permanent solution. The levelling of the camps is required to eliminate breeding grounds. Similar issues with water pools are noted in Mansehra and Haripur. The health department stresses that dengue control is a community effort and requires collaboration among all government departments, urging the enforcement of the Dengue Action Plan by October.
