ISLAMABAD, Nov 20 (APP): The
ministry of Health has formed a committee to ensure coordination among the
provinces and the federation for taking effective measures against dengue
virus.
According to official sources,
besides treatment of the affected persons the committee will make plans for
control or eradication of the mosquitoes carrying the virus that causes dengue.
Federal Minister for Health will
be the chairman of the committee while other members included provincial Health
Ministers and Health Secretaries.
They said the Ministry of Health
has directed federal government hospitals to make proper arrangements for dengue
fever patients while awareness campaign will also be launched to educate people
to prevent them from dengue virus.
Health officials urged citizens to
use mosquito repellents and wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants tucked into
socks when outdoors during times when mosquitoes bite.
They said though an infected
person cannot spread the infection to other persons but can be a source of
dengue virus for mosquitoes to human being.
The Aedes aegypti mosquito is a
daytime biter with peak periods of biting around sunrise and sunset. It may bite
at any time of the day and is often hidden inside homes or other dwellings,
especially in urban areas.
The time between the bite of a
mosquito carrying dengue virus and the start of symptoms averages four to six
days, with a range of three to 14 days.
