Kathmandu: On Thursday, as many as 40 dengue patients were admitted at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. Likewise, 10 patients were admitted in the emergency.
“The number of dengue cases is rising in recent days. We have already discharged many patients, and they are in consultation with doctors through phone calls,” said Dr Sabin Thapaliya of Teaching Hospital.
Likewise, at least 25 dengue patients were admitted at the Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital. “Lately, the number of patients visiting hospitals complaining of dengue illness has seen a sharp rise,” said Dr Bimal Chalise, chief consultant physician of the hospital.
Similarly, Civil Hospital has more than 19 dengue patients, confirmed Dr Bidhannidhi Paudel, the hospital director.
These numbers show that the dengue has already spread in the Kathmandu Valley.
Common symptoms include fever, nausea, vomiting, rashes, aches and pains (eye pain, muscle, joint and bone pain) that last two to seven days in general.
Nepal first confirmed dengue cases in 2004 and since then the infection has increased in later years of 2006, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2017 and 2019, said infectious disease specialist Dr Anup Bastola.
Spotted mostly in the Terai belt, it gradually started spreading to other parts including Pokhara and Kathmandu after 2018, he said.
“The infection is transmitted by the bites of infected female mosquitoes mainly of the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus species that reside in pools. The Kathmandu Valley has been witnessing increasing dengue cases due to temperature rise,” he said.
Generally, the infection risks occur between mid-July and mid-October, he said. Out of 10,000 infected cases, 1,000, for an example, showed symptoms, according to Dr Bastola.
The rising cases of dengue come at a time when the threats of Covid-19 still remain. On Thursday, Nepal reported 444 Covid-19 cases and three deaths.
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