Dengue spreads to 75 districts

Kathmandu, August 24 – During the monsoon season, cases of dengue and cholera have increased. The Epidemiology and Communicable Disease Control Division stated that dengue infections have now spread to 75 districts.

 According to Dr. Gokarna Prasad Dahal, Chief of Vector Control Disease at the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division under the Health Ministry, dengue has been detected in all districts except Humla and Mustang.

Dengue has affected 5,119 people across these districts, and three deaths have been reported so far this year. Dengue is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which breed in stagnant water. When larvae in these breeding sites mature into adult mosquitoes, they can transmit the virus through their bites.

421 people have been infected in Kathmandu district, while Bhaktapur and Lalitpur have reported 58 and 79 cases, respectively. The increase in dengue cases is attributed to stagnant water collected during the rains, which provides breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

In response to the rising number of dengue cases, the Ministry of Health and Population has requested a weekly 'Find and Destroy Mosquitoes' campaign in government and non-government offices and hospital premises. The government will cover the cost of treating dengue patients in public hospitals.

Additionally, the department has reported 67 cholera cases in various districts, including Lalitpur (47 cases), Kathmandu (nine cases), Kailali (eight cases), Pyuthan (two cases), and Makwanpur (one case).

Cholera, a highly contagious diarrheal disease, is characterized by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and severe dehydration.