Health authorities in Nowshera have intensified preventive measures after 8 more chikungunya cases were detected in the Ziarat Kaka Sahib area, taking the total number of confirmed cases in Spin Kanai union council to 14.
Following the increase, authorities have expanded surveillance to neighboring union councils and started larvicidal activities to prevent the virus from spreading to nearby areas.
District Health Officer Dr. Akram Shah said a buffer zone will be created between affected and unaffected union councils. Authorities will also carry out indoor residual spraying, active case finding, larvicide spraying and other mosquito-control activities.
All confirmed patients are currently receiving treatment at home.
Health and tehsil municipal administration teams will conduct house-to-house visits to identify active cases using CDC case definitions. Paracetamol and oral rehydration solution will also be distributed among residents.
Patients requiring further treatment or investigation will be referred to Category-D hospitals in Ziarat Kaka Sahib, Manki and Akora Khattak.
Teams will inspect homes and water containers for mosquito breeding sites while carrying out insecticide spraying and destroying mosquito larvae. Authorities have also directed teams to identify and clear clogged sewage lines that could contribute to mosquito breeding.
Lady health visitors and lady health workers will support household surveillance and larval-control activities. Preventive operations will also cover nearby areas, including Manai, Chashmai, Shaidu and parts of Akora Khattak.
Health authorities have also stepped up public awareness campaigns to educate residents about chikungunya, mosquito control and ways to prevent infection.
Isolation wards have been established, while samples from suspected patients are being sent to the Public Health Reference Laboratory at Khyber Medical University for confirmation.
Hospitals have also been provided with essential medicines for the standard treatment of patients, while a district control room has been established to coordinate information related to the outbreak.
Health officials said the situation is being closely monitored, with surveillance, early detection and mosquito-control measures being strengthened to prevent further transmission.
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