BAGLUNG: Baglung, already at high risk of dengue, is now also seeing a rise in scrub typhus cases, with dengue concentrated in the district headquarters and scrub typhus increasingly reported in rural areas.
Dengue has spread rapidly in Baglung Bazaar, the district headquarters, with 1,403 cases recorded in the district since Shrawan alone. According to the Provincial Public Health Office, this is the highest number of dengue cases reported in any district in Nepal during the period.
At Dhaulagiri Hospital in Baglung Bazaar alone, 1,224 people have tested positive for dengue. Authorities have put the district headquarters on high alert after the infection spread widely across the area. Despite daily search-and-destroy campaigns targeting mosquito breeding sites, the number of cases continues to rise.
Meanwhile, scrub typhus cases have also increased significantly. While only five cases were recorded in Baglung last year, 282 people have tested positive since Shrawan this year. Health officials said dengue cases are concentrated in Baglung Bazaar, while scrub typhus is more prevalent in rural areas. Galkot Municipality accounts for around 50 percent of the reported scrub typhus cases.
Prabin Sharma, head of the Provincial Public Health Office, said Baglung has recorded the highest prevalence of dengue in the country and that Baglung Municipality is the most affected local unit.
He said the district remains at high risk of both dengue and scrub typhus.
“Despite our high level of vigilance, the infection rate remains high, and Dhaulagiri Hospital is under significant pressure from dengue patients,” Sharma said. “Along with searching for and destroying mosquito breeding sites in Baglung Bazaar, we have also confiscated tires stored at garages.”
Navaraj Poudel, medical recorder at Dhaulagiri Hospital, said the hospital has been receiving 30 to 50 dengue patients daily in the district headquarters.
Ram Prasad Khanal, head of the Health Section of Baglung Municipality, said four tractor tires were confiscated from a garage that had failed to take adequate measures to prevent dengue transmission.
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