Health authorities have launched testing, mosquito-control measures and public awareness campaigns after a surge in suspected chikungunya cases in Nowshera’s Ziarat Kaka Sahib area.
NOWSHERA: A chikungunya outbreak has triggered a health emergency in Ziarat Kaka Sahib in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Nowshera district after more than 200 suspected cases were reported in recent days.
District authorities and the health department have launched emergency measures to contain the spread, including door-to-door spraying, medicine supplies, testing and public awareness activities.
More than 200 suspected patients from the affected area have been brought to hospitals in recent days, placing increased pressure on local health facilities as new cases continue to emerge.
According to District Health Officer Nowshera Dr Akram Shah, six chikungunya cases were initially confirmed. Health teams subsequently collected samples from a large number of suspected patients and sent them to laboratories for diagnostic testing.
Official reports shared by the district administration said 122 cases had so far been formally confirmed in the Spin Kundaray area.
Several teams comprising health department officials and district administration personnel have been formed under the supervision of the DHO to conduct preventive spraying in affected areas. Awareness sessions and mosque announcements are also being used to inform residents about precautionary measures.
No chikungunya deaths reported
Nowshera Deputy Commissioner Gohar Zaman Wazir rejected reports circulating about deaths linked to the outbreak.
He said no death had so far occurred from chikungunya in Spin Kundaray, the affected area of Village Council Ziarat Kaka Sahib. The three deaths reported earlier were attributed to cancer and other serious illnesses and were not linked to chikungunya, he said.
The deputy commissioner urged residents not to panic or spread unverified information, stressing that chikungunya is treatable.
Health minister orders emergency measures
Provincial Health Minister Khalidur Rehman took notice of the reported spread and directed the DHO and other relevant officials to take immediate and effective measures.
Following his instructions, senior officials visited the Category-D hospital in the affected area and reviewed the availability of medicines, vaccines, doctors, nurses and other medical staff. Additional staff were deployed to deal with the increased number of patients.
Health teams, working with Nowshera Tehsil Municipal Administration spraying staff, have also begun door-to-door indoor residual spraying in Spin Kundaray and adjoining areas.
Workers are inspecting containers and locations where stagnant water could provide breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Medical teams are distributing medicines and mosquito nets among residents.
Residents have been advised to maintain cleanliness and prevent water from accumulating around their homes.
Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted primarily by infected Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. Common symptoms include sudden fever, severe joint pain, muscle pain, headache and skin rash.
The disease is generally not fatal, but the joint pain it causes can be severe and may persist for months in some patients.
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