KATHMANDU: Cases of cholera and dengue have surged with the arrival of the rainy season across much of the country.
The Epidemiology and Disease Control Division stated that dengue has spread to 75 districts.
Dr. Gokarna Prasad Dahal, Head of the Entomological Disease Branch, noted that dengue has been detected in every district except Humla and Mustang.
To date, there have been 5,119 reported dengue cases across these districts, with three fatalities this year.
The aedes aegypti and aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which breed in clean, stagnant water, are responsible for transmitting dengue.
In Kathmandu alone, 421 cases have been recorded, with 58 in Bhaktapur and 79 in Lalitpur.
The accumulation of water during the rainy season provides ideal conditions for mosquitoes to breed, leading to increased dengue transmission when they bite humans.
In response to the outbreak, the Ministry of Health and Population has urged a ‘Search and Destroy Mosquitoes’ campaign every Friday at both public and private institutions, including hospitals.
The government has committed to covering the treatment costs for dengue patients in state-run hospitals.
Regarding cholera, the Department has reported 67 cases nationwide.
Dr. Dahal said that cholera has been confirmed in Lalitpur (47 cases), Kathmandu (nine cases), Kailali (eight cases), Pyuthan (two cases), and Makwanpur (one case).
Comment