Rawalpindi Declares Emergency Amid Rising Dengue Cases
In Rawalpindi, a district-wide emergency has been declared due to a significant increase in dengue cases. The Deputy Commissioner has announced urgent measures, including setting up emergency dengue counters and deploying mobile teams to control the outbreak. A new, more severe variant of the virus has been identified, prompting these actions.
Global Concerns and WHO’s Response
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has expressed serious concerns about the global rise in dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has called for an immediate global response, highlighting that dengue cases have nearly doubled each year since 2021. In the first eight months of 2024, over 12.3 million cases and 7,900 deaths have been reported worldwide.
Impact and Measures
Dengue fever can cause symptoms like high fever and severe body aches, with many cases being asymptomatic, complicating disease management. The WHO estimates between 100 million and 400 million infections annually, showing the significant health burden of this illness. Rawalpindi’s quick response, including emergency counters and mobile teams, is crucial in controlling the outbreak. The WHO emphasizes the need for coordinated global efforts to address the challenges posed by dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases.
Doubts Revealed
Rawalpindi -: Rawalpindi is a city in Pakistan, which is a country that shares a border with India. It’s known for its historical sites and is close to the capital city, Islamabad.
Dengue -: Dengue is a disease caused by a virus that is spread by mosquitoes. It can cause high fever, severe headache, and joint pain, and is common in tropical and subtropical areas.
Emergency -: An emergency is a serious situation that needs immediate action. In this case, it means the city is taking urgent steps to control the dengue outbreak.
Deputy Commissioner -: A Deputy Commissioner is an important government official in charge of managing a district. They help make decisions and implement measures during emergencies.
WHO -: WHO stands for the World Health Organization. It is a global organization that works to improve health and respond to health emergencies around the world.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus -: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is the Director-General of the World Health Organization. He leads the organization in its efforts to improve global health.
Global response -: A global response means countries around the world working together to solve a problem. In this case, it refers to countries cooperating to fight the spread of dengue.
