Dengue Crisis.

While the country continues to grapple with the ongoing devastation caused by the floods, a familiar health emergency threatens our cities and the flood-affected areas, and their respective health infrastructure. Waterborne dengue infection has broken out in all four provinces, with panic and fear spreading among the public. 74 dengue patients were reported in three government-run hospitals in Rawalpindi. In Islamabad, 92 people were diagnosed with the disease during the last two days. At least 30 people have so far lost their lives due to dengue viral infection at seven leading public and private health facilities in Karachi.

Pakistan has suffered the brunt of dengue epidemics before, with the country undergoing dire situations in 2017 and 2011. In 2021 too, while the country was reeling from a second coming of the coronavirus pandemic, dengue infections spread, though not to the extent of previous epidemics. While dengue breakouts now appear to be a yearly or once in two years circumstance that Pakistan will have to undergo, the high rates of infection...