KATHMANDU: Seasonal infectious diseases are on the rise across Nepal with the onset of the monsoon, according to the latest surveillance bulletin released by the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division under the Ministry of Health and Food Safety.
The bulletin shows that 1,815 cases of various communicable diseases and health conditions were recorded nationwide over the past week.
Acute gastroenteritis, commonly known as diarrhea, accounted for the largest share of cases, with 861 patients reported during the period. The division also recorded 442 cases of influenza-like illness and 413 cases of severe acute respiratory infection.
According to the report, 55 dengue cases were identified during the week, along with 16 cases of fever with rash, 11 cases of scrub typhus, seven influenza cases, six cases of fever with jaundice, and four cases of kala-azar.
Bagmati Province reported the highest number of acute gastroenteritis cases at 465, followed by Lumbini with 127 cases, Madhesh with 73, Sudurpashchim with 68, Gandaki with 59, Koshi with 42, and Karnali with 27.
Meanwhile, Sudurpashchim Province recorded the highest number of influenza-like illness cases at 222. Bagmati reported 117 such cases, followed by Koshi with 28, Lumbini with 25, Karnali with 24, Gandaki with 14, and Madhesh with 12.
Dengue infections also continued to be reported across several provinces. Of the 55 dengue cases detected during the week, 17 were reported in Koshi Province, 15 in Lumbini, 10 in Bagmati, six in Gandaki, four in Madhesh, and three in Sudurpashchim. No dengue cases were reported from Karnali Province during the reporting period.
The division said the data indicate an increasing risk of waterborne and communicable diseases as monsoon conditions intensify. Health officials have urged the public to maintain proper sanitation, use safe drinking water, and take precautions against mosquito breeding to reduce the risk of disease transmission.
The division has also requested the public to report any unusual public health events, clusters of illness, or abnormal disease outbreaks and animal deaths through the toll-free Hello Health 1115 service.
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