LAHORE, Dec 16   -   Pun­jab witnessed a surge in dengue cases with 34 new patients confirmed across the province in the past 24 hours. The provincial capital, Lahore, bore the brunt of the outbreak, reporting 21 new cases. Secretary Health Ali Jan Khan on Saturday provided a breakdown of the cases, stat­ing that four new patients were identified in Gujranwala, Multan, and Faisalabad, while single cases were reported in Sheikhupura, Narowal, and Sargodha. Currently, 42 den­gue patients are being treated in hospitals across Punjab, with Lahore hospitals cater­ing to 30 of them. The ris­ing numbers raise concerns about a potential outbreak, prompting health authorities.