SOLUKHUMBU: Pashi Sherpa of Salleri, the district headquarters of Solukhumbu, is growing increasingly concerned about the rising risk of mosquito-borne diseases in the area.
Until recently, the absence of mosquitoes in this mountainous district of Koshi Province made such concerns seem remote.
However, the situation has changed, with a noticeable increase in the mosquito population.
Locals have observed a significant rise in mosquitoes in Salleri, with some speculating that the insects may have entered the district via motor vehicles and gradually adapted to the local temperature.
“Summer days in Salleri are now hotter than before, and snowfall in winter has become less frequent,” noted KB Ghimire.
According to the Field Office of Hydrology and Meteorology in Salleri, temperatures now range between 25-28 degrees Celsius during the day, with morning and evening temperatures hovering around 22-23 degrees Celsius.
These rising temperatures have created favorable conditions for mosquito breeding, causing concern not just in Salleri, but also in other areas such as Sotang, Nechasalyan, and Mapya Dudhkoshi.
In response, residents have started using mosquito nets and repellents.
Mosquitoes have even been spotted as far as Kharkhola, a settlement below Lukla, according to Ram Bahadur Thapa.
Rajan Thapa, a climate change expert, stated that the rising temperatures are having a negative impact on both local life and agriculture, and are likely contributing to the increase in dengue fever cases.
The Health Office Solukhumbu has reported 30 cases of dengue across the district in the past month.
According to Ashok Siwakoti, the office’s pandemic focal person, 20 of the infected are male and 10 are female.
Notably, 27 of these cases are from the Sotang Rural Municipality, with 19 males and 8 females affected.
Almost all of the infected individuals had no recent travel history, suggesting that the dengue infections were contracted locally.
In response, the health office has launched a ‘mosquito larva search and destroy’ campaign and is actively raising awareness about dengue prevention methods.
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