ISLAMABAD, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani officials on Tuesday said that 18 more cases of dengue fever were reported in the last 24 hours in Rawalpindi district of the eastern Punjab province.

District Coordinator Epidemics Prevention and Control (DCEPC), Sajjad Mehmood, told Xinhua that the newly confirmed cases brought the overall tally of dengue infections to 438 in the current season in the district adjacent to the national capital Islamabad.

The official said that 78 cases of the total are being treated in district hospitals while the others have been discharged after their treatment, adding that 16 of the currently hospitalized patients are in critical condition.

According to the official, the local government had earlier launched a disease prevention campaign, including raising public awareness about the mosquito-borne viral disease, and spraying repellents or pesticides against mosquitoes.

Mehmood said that dengue infections have been reported across the district, and the outbreak hit the population badly in 13 localities, which recorded 63 percent of the total cases.

"The weather conditions in this region are the most suitable for the spread of the infection and for the growth of the mosquito that transmits dengue fever, which makes the existing situation more alarming," added the official. Enditem

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