Dengue fever in Pakistan: Inten-sity declines, threat remains

ABSTRACT

In 2011, Pakistan has witnessed one of the worst outbreaks from dengue fever/dengue haemorrhagic fever [DF/DHF]. Till October 31, the country reported a total of 252,935 suspected cases of which 17,057 cases were laboratory-confirmed. A total 219 deaths were also reported in 2011 from this outbreak. Majority of the cases and deaths were reported from Punjab province with more than 250,000 suspected cases including 203 deaths. In recent time, cases have declined from Punjab as well as from other provinces in Pakistan. How-ever, the threat has not subsided as the outbreak has become a recurrent public health event in Pakistan since 2006 and as such, massive public health preparedness efforts are warranted if another big outbreak is to be avoided