The fear of dengue hemorrhagic fever has caused a drastic increase in the prices of several brands of mosquito repellents, especially in the heavily populated city of Lahore in the Punjab province. According to a news source, the prices of some mosquito repellents have suddenly went up by as much as 50 per cent.

Hundreds of people have fallen prey to dengue fever which invaded the country this October. As the pathogenic virus causing dengue fever is spread by mosquito bite, people have started active use of mosquito repellents, mostly coils and sprays, to prevent mosquitoes from infecting them with the disease. This preventive practice of using repellents follows the advice of the City District Government Lahore which is running an awareness program against dengue fever.

The increase in the prices of mosquito repellents has resulted in high prices of many repellent brands. Those sold for Rs.60 are now available for over 100 rupees while some anti-mosquito sprays are being sold for as high a price as Rs. 150 per bottle. The shopkeepers, however, have attributed the high prices of repellents to the manufacturing companies who, sensing the general demand for mosquito repellents, have increased the prices of their products.

Many localities in Lahore contain carelessly disposed wastes that lie open as heaps of garbage, serving as nurseries for mosquitoes’ breeding. Children are falling victim to dengue fever as the municipal authorities continue to scrim shank and leave the filth in open. The general public has very few options for preventing dengue fever and using mosquito repellents is the easiest and readily-available method of keeping mosquitoes from spreading the disease.