The Ministry of Health in Koshi Province has issued a high alert after dengue cases were reported in ten out of the 14 districts in the region. Instructions for prevention, control, and mitigation of dengue have been given to relevant agencies by the provincial health ministry.
The district of Sunsari in Koshi Province has recorded the highest number of dengue cases, with 239 confirmed infections as of July 20. Overall, there are 354 dengue patients in Koshi Province, according to the Koshi Province Health Directorate.
The areas with high dengue infection rates include Sunsari, Morang, and Sankhuwasabha in Koshi Province. Dharan sub-metropolitan city, particularly wards 11, 15, and 17 in Sunsari, have reported the highest number of dengue cases.
Other affected districts include Morang with 25 cases, Jhapa with 24 cases, Tehrithum with 15 cases, Dhankuta with eight cases, Bhojpur with five cases, and Khotang with four cases. Ilam and Taplejung have each reported one case of dengue.
Last year, more than 2,000 people were infected with dengue in Koshi Province, prompting District Administration Offices of Morang and Sunsari to initiate a ‘Find and Destroy’ campaign to control the rapid spread of the disease.
The Ministry of Health of Koshi Province has instructed relevant stakeholders and subordinate centers to exercise high vigilance in response to the dengue outbreak. They have urged local levels to carry out a campaign to ‘find and destroy’ mosquitoes to prevent further spread of the disease.
To ensure adequate supplies for dengue control, the Health and Supply Management Division has addressed the shortage of test kits used for dengue patients by supplying 5,325 kits to different areas as per demand.
Dengue fever is a contagious disease transmitted by the bite of a female Aedes aegypti mosquito. Common symptoms include fever, muscle pain, eyeball pain, headache, red rash on the body, nausea, and vomiting.
Doctors advise that the best way to prevent dengue infection is to avoid mosquito bites. Public awareness campaigns and measures to control mosquito breeding sites are essential in combatting the spread of dengue and protecting the health of the population in the affected regions.