Patiala, Sept. 23 -- Dengue is spreading its tentacles across Punjab, with the state reporting 451 confirmed cases till September 21, according to health department data. The disease has already been detected in 21 of the state's 23 districts. The highest number of cases has been reported from Ludhiana (52), followed by Gurdaspur (50), Patiala (38), SAS Nagar (36), Hoshiarpur (33), Kapurthala (29) and Faridkot (28). The district-wise data also shows that Ferozepur has reported 19 cases against 32 last year, Fatehgarh Sahib 18 against 47, Tarn Taran 17 against 30, Bathinda 13 against 23 and Amritsar nine against 22. Moga has reported nine cases against 35 last year, while Pathankot has recorded eight against 58. Fazilka has reported nine cases, the same as last year. Shri Muktsar Sahib has recorded six cases against 13 last year. At the lower end, Barnala has reported four cases against 13 last year, while Mansa and Malerkotla have not reported any confirmed cases so far. The official figures, however, need to be viewed in the context of testing and reporting practices, particularly in the private healthcare sector. HT has learnt that the official dengue figures may not capture the full extent of the disease in Punjab. Health officials said private hospitals and laboratories are detecting dengue-positive cases, but they have been asked to get such cases retested at government laboratories before they are included in official district data. According to sources in the private healthcare sector, this additional requirement has discouraged some facilities from sharing positive cases with the health authorities. As a result, several patients who tested positive at private hospitals have not been reflected in district-wise government data, raising concerns of underreporting at a time when dengue transmission is gaining ground....