Men more affected by dengue in KP

PESHAWAR: In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, males are the most impacted by dengue, with a low incidence rate among females, and no reported cases among eunuchs.

According to data released by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department for 17 districts, a total of 76 cases of dengue have been recorded so far.

Among these cases, only 13 percent pertain to females. Notably, the report lacks information regarding dengue occurrences among transgender women.

The majority of dengue virus diagnoses are among individuals under 30 years old. As per the report, 28 percent of this demographic, constituting 50 percent of the population, have tested positive for dengue.

Within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, individuals with blood type AB exhibit the highest susceptibility to dengue, whereas those with blood type O show the lowest vulnerability.

Approximately 23 percent of individuals with the tested blood groups have tested positive for the dengue virus. For those with blood type O, the infection rate is 36 percent, affecting only 23 percent of the group.

Among this year’s reported dengue cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mardan ranks second with 13 cases, Swabi follows with nine cases, and Chitral Lower records seven cases. Bajaur reports six cases, Kohat four, Nowshera three, while DI Khan, Khyber, and Abbottabad each confirm two cases. Additionally, Bitgram, Hangu, Dir Lower, Torghar, Mansehra, Lucky Marwat, and Bannu have each reported a single dengue case.

Following the floods in August of the previous year, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa witnessed the highest number of dengue cases in the nation.

Health department officials attribute the reduced dengue cases this year to prompt interventions, including timely measures and larvicidal spraying at various intervals.