LAHORE - At least 68 persons were arrested and 639 cases were registered against 639 others over violation of the dengue standard operating procedures (SOPs) in Punjab during the last three days. The action against violators was intensified across the province on the directions of the Punjab chief secretary. The officials submitted a report at a meeting, chaired by Punjab Chief Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal at the Civil Secretariat, here on Wednesday. According to the report, the authorities arrested 20 people in Lahore, 35 in Rawalpindi, 10 in Bhakkar, one in Toba Tek Singh and two in Okara. The chief secretary told the meeting that dengue cases might increase if the SOPs were not followed. He said that timely resolution of dengue related complaints should be ensured and all departments and field officers should implement the guidelines, issued for dengue control. He directed the officers concerned to speed up indoor and outdoor surveillance activities. The chief secretary also issued instructions to follow precautionary measures during fumigation for exterminating mosquitoes. The secretary primary health gave a detailed briefing at the meeting. He said that 2,574 beds had been allocated for patients in dengue wards of government hospitals, where 310 dengue patients were under treatment at present. He said that 1,623 confirmed dengue cases and four deaths were reported in the province so far this year. As many as 731 cases surfaced in Lahore, 621 in Rawalpindi, 119 in Gujranwala, and 37 in Faisalabad, he added