Dengue and cholera infections have surged across the country with the onset of the rainy season.
The Epidemiology and Disease Control Division reports that dengue has spread to 75 districts. According to Dr. Gokarna Prasad Dahal, head of the Entomological Disease Branch, dengue cases have been detected in all districts except Humla and Mustang.
A total of 5,119 dengue cases have been reported across these districts, with three fatalities recorded so far this year. The Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquito species, which thrive in clean standing water, are responsible for transmitting the virus during the adult stage.
In the Kathmandu Valley alone, 421 cases have been reported in Kathmandu, 58 in Bhaktapur, and 79 in Lalitpur. Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water during the rainy season, and their bites transmit dengue to humans.
In response to the dengue surge, the Ministry of Health and Population has urged the public to participate in a "Search and Destroy Mosquitoes" campaign every Friday at government and non-government offices, as well as in hospital premises. The government has also committed to covering the treatment costs of dengue patients in government hospitals.
Avoiding mosquito bites is the best option to remain safe from the infection, the Ministry of Health and Population said in a notice issued earlier. The ministry has urged the people to wear clothes that cover all body parts, use mosquito nets and repellent, and destroy mosquito breeding areas to avoid mosquito bites.
With the rise in mercury level in mountainous region due to climate change, dengue cases have been detected in places where it was never reported before.
Experts say mountainous region is becoming favourable for lifecycle of mosquitoes. They requested all to adopt precaution as dengue-carrying mosquitoes are active till mid-October.
Meanwhile, cholera cases have also been reported in various districts, with 67 confirmed cases across the country. Dr. Dahal noted that cholera patients have been found in Lalitpur, Kathmandu, Pyuthan, Makwanpur, and Kailali. Specifically, there are 47 cases in Lalitpur, nine in Kathmandu, eight in Kailali, two in Pyuthan, and one in Makwanpur. (With inputs from RSS)
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