Published on: August 18, 2025 4:39 AM
A dengue outbreak in Nawan Shehr Meera, Abbottabad, has taken a serious turn as more than 16 people have been confirmed infected, including five members of a single family.
According to local sources, the virus claimed its first casualty when a woman, widow of Abdul Waheed Khan, succumbed to the disease at Ayub Medical Complex on Saturday. She had been under intensive care for several days. Her three sons, who are also infected with dengue, remain hospitalized at the same facility in critical condition.
Local residents expressed deep concern over the rapid spread of the disease, pointing to a lack of timely fumigation and preventive measures in the area. “Entire families are suffering because no proper dengue spray was carried out in our neighborhood,” one resident told reporters.
Hospital officials confirmed that special wards have been designated for dengue patients at Ayub Medical Complex, where dozens of new suspected cases are being reported daily. Doctors have urged people to take precautionary measures such as using mosquito nets, wearing full-sleeved clothing, and eliminating stagnant water around their homes to prevent further breeding of mosquitoes.
District health authorities, meanwhile, have declared an emergency response in the area. Teams have been dispatched for fumigation, awareness campaigns, and blood sample collection to identify new cases at the earliest.
Health officials warned that if immediate preventive steps are not enforced, the number of patients may rise further in the coming weeks, particularly with the ongoing monsoon season providing favorable conditions for mosquito breeding.
