Six people have died of dengue and over 5,096 people have been diagnosed positive across Nepal since the outbreak of the mosquito-borne disease in May, a report by the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) has said, revealed ANI. According to the report, the mosquito-borne disease, which was first reported in the city of Dharan, has spread to over 56 of the 77 districts of Nepal.
According to the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers, recent cases have been reported from Makwanpur, Tanahun, Rukum, Dailekh, Achlam, and Kalikot. Dengue is a viral infection caused by four types of viruses (DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, DENV-4) belonging to the Flaviviridae family. The viruses are transmitted through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus female mosquitoes that feed both indoors and outdoors during the daytime
Speaking to ANI, Kamala Subedi, a resident of Kathmandu Valley who came to Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital for the test, said that the number of people infected by dengue is turning into an epidemic with the number of cases rising all over the nation, despite the government working towards controlling the spread of the disease.
According to the EDCD, Kathmandu has recorded the highest number of dengue infected cases, with at least 1,170 cases recorded. Chitwan, on its part has recorded 728 cases.
Dengue has emerged as a major health concern in recent years with a steep spike in developing countries along with other mosquito-borne diseases like malaria and chikungunya. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is the main vector that transmits the viruses that cause dengue and an abundance of stagnant water in urban poor areas allow the mosquito to breed and grow easily.
According to a report in Reuters, Meghnath Dhimal, chief research officer at the government’s Nepal Health Research Council, said rising temperatures associated with climate change are the major driver of the new threat.
Notably, if a person is infected with the same Dengue virus serotype then he/she becomes immune to future infections. However, if the person is infected subsequently with a different serotype, immunity wanes over time which increases the risk of developing Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever.