PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has reported 71 new dengue cases in the past 24 hours, according to the Directorate-General Health Services. Of these, 27 patients are currently hospitalised, raising the total number of admitted dengue patients to 48.
Since January, the province has recorded 3,582 confirmed cases, 1,474 hospitalisations, and two deaths. While most patients have recovered, health authorities remain on alert.
Experts attribute the rising spread of dengue to shifting climate patterns. Provincial Medical Entomologist Salahuddin Khan Marwat said that moderate temperatures, high humidity, and prolonged monsoon rains have created favourable conditions for mosquito breeding. “Mosquitoes thrive between 18°C and 25°C, which are typical October temperatures — that’s why KP experiences a seasonal surge this month,” he explained.
Once concentrated in districts like Peshawar and Mardan, dengue is now being detected in new regions such as Chitral, highlighting how global warming and increased travel are facilitating its spread. To manage the outbreak, the government has allocated 1,500–1,600 hospital beds across districts and distributed 400,000 dengue test kits to local health offices.
However, experts caution against excessive use of insecticide sprays. Marwat noted that indiscriminate spraying kills beneficial insects and may lead to mosquito resistance. Global health authorities now emphasise environmental cleaning and mosquito breeding control over mass spraying, which should be used only in targeted, essential cases, he added.
