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MULTAN, Nov 11 (APP):Dengue infections are climbing across Multan district, straining hospital wards and prompting an intensified anti-larva campaign as authorities race to contain the mosquito-borne disease.
Local hospitals have reported a sharp rise in admissions over the past week, while district health teams say they have identified and treated thousands of breeding sites.
Nishtar Hospital, the region’s largest tertiary care facility, reported that twelve patients tested positive for dengue and 29 were probable cases whose lab results were still pending with 41 beds are occupied out of total 70 so far in it.
PPP MNA Ali Kasim Gilani on X account said on Tuesday that as many as 30 cases of dengue have reported in his constituency in a single day and he had written to DC Multan, Wasim Hamid Sandhu to take precautionary measures to safeguard people from the disease.
Private hospitals and clinics in the district are also witnessing a large cases of probable dengue patients these days.
District health officials told a separate meeting that 92 confirmed dengue cases have been recorded in Multan so far this year. Anti-dengue teams have killed larvae at nearly 3,989 locations and identified about 2,195 hotspots across the district; roughly 352 field teams are now engaged in indoor and outdoor surveillance and eradication work. Special Secretary (Health and Population) Muhammad Shahbaz Hussain described the campaign as being scaled up to achieve “100 percent coverage” of identified sites.
At Government Shehbaz Sharif Hospital, authorities say a dedicated dengue counter has been activated to triage suspected cases and fast-track basic testing and care, while public notices urge residents to follow dengue SOPs. The DHQ administration has also been coordinating with Nishtar and other government clinics to distribute patient load.
Clinicians warn that diagnostic delays are worsening the pressure on wards. Medical staff at Nishtar and other facilities say samples are sometimes routed through central laboratories even though point-of-care machines (Cell Max) are available, producing lagged results and delaying platelet monitoring and treatment for suspected cases. Hospital sources have urged faster lab turnaround to prevent complications.
Officials have also taken legal action against private businesses: five FIRs were filed after dengue larvae were found at three restaurants and two factories, and more than 120 notices have been issued to entities failing to implement preventive measures. Public health teams repeatedly warned residents to drain standing water, cover tanks, and report suspected larva sites — measures authorities say are essential to prevent a larger outbreak.
Health authorities in Multan say they are monitoring the situation closely and have urged city residents to cooperate with teams conducting indoor and outdoor surveillance. With the post-monsoon season favouring mosquito breeding, officials warned that continued vigilance is critical to stopping the disease from escalating further.