In Brief:

• 646 dengue cases recorded in Baglung district in June–July
• Baglung Municipality alone: 459 cases, over two-thirds of total
• Dengue detected in all 10 local levels of the district
• Dhaulagiri Hospital treating 20–30 dengue patients daily
• Authorities intensify weekly search-and-destroy campaigns to eliminate mosquito breeding sites

KATHMANDU, AUGUST 25 Baglung Municipality has emerged as the main centre of a growing dengue outbreak, accounting for 459 of the 646 cases recorded in the district over the past two months, according to the Health Office, Baglung. Dengue has now been detected in all 10 local levels of the district. Figures show Baglung Municipality alone accounts for more than two-thirds of reported infections. Other affected areas include Galkot Municipality (43), Kathekhola Rural Municipality (45), Jaimini Municipality (27), Dhorpatan Municipality (17), Tarakhola (3), Badigad (3), Nisikhola (7), Taman Khola (2) and Bareng (2). Thirty-eight people who came to Baglung from other districts for treatment also tested positive. At Dhaulagiri Hospital, 20 to 30 dengue patients are being seen daily, said medical recorder Navaraj Poudel. The hospital recorded 182 dengue cases in Baglung Bazaar alone in July. Health workers attributed the increase to the rise in mosquito populations following continuous rainfall. The Aedes mosquito, which carries dengue, breeds in stagnant water, prompting authorities to intensify efforts to identify and destroy breeding sites. The Provincial Public Health Office has launched a weekly search-and-destroy campaign every Friday at ward level. Officials are monitoring potential breeding sites, including garages, discarded tyres and flowerpots, and destroying mosquito larvae. The number of patients seeking treatment has also increased at Dhaulagiri Provincial Hospital, Burtibang Hospital and Galkot Hospital, said provincial public health inspector Dev Prakash Ghimire. Officials warned that the reported figure may not represent the full extent of the outbreak, as government data only covers public health facilities, while testing is also being conducted at private centres. Health authorities have urged communities to prevent water stagnation and maintain cleanliness, while intensifying efforts to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds.