KP Sees Over 100% Increase in Infectious Diseases in 2024

News Desk

Peshawar: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has witnessed a dramatic surge in infectious diseases in 2024, with cases of diphtheria, dengue, measles, and malaria more than doubling compared to the previous year.

A report by the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response System (IDSRS) highlighted that the province experienced a multifaceted rise in disease cases, which experts attribute to a combination of climate change and vaccine shortages.

Diphtheria saw the sharpest increase, with cases rising by 182 percent. The number of reported cases jumped from 337 in 2023 to 952 in 2024.

Health officials are stressing the importance of improving immunization efforts and public awareness to combat this dangerous disease.

Dengue fever also saw a staggering 176 percent rise in cases, with 5,477 documented in 2024, compared to 1,980 the previous year. The increase is linked to changing weather patterns, which have created favorable conditions for mosquito breeding.

Measles cases rose by 43 percent, from 10,000 in 2023 to 15,621 in 2024, while malaria cases climbed by 13 percent, increasing from 239,902 in 2023 to 271,344 in 2024.

However, there was a notable decrease in typhoid and pneumonia cases. Typhoid cases dropped by 32 percent, and pneumonia cases saw a 21 percent decline.

Health Adviser Ehtesham Ali attributed the rise in dengue and malaria cases to climate change, which has altered the lifecycle of disease vectors, enhancing transmission.

He also acknowledged that vaccine shortages earlier in the year had impacted immunization efforts but assured that the supply chain had been restored by mid-year, helping control the spread of diseases.

The report, originally published on Samaa News Website, has been reproduced by PenPK.com.