KATHMANDU, JUNE 8
Dengue fever cases are on the rise across the country as the monsoon season begins. Since December, the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) has identified dengue cases in 72 districts.
So far, 12,22 people have been infected, with the highest numbers occurring in Bagmati (330), Koshi (263), Gandaki (221), Lumbini (193), Sudurpaschim (167), Karnali (31), and Madhesh (17). Similarly, Kathmandu has the most dengue cases (128), followed by Kaski (89) and Jhapa (85).
A decade-long trend shows that dengue outbreaks peak in the months of June, July, and August. Moreover, dengue infection increases with heavy downpours.
Dengue fever, believed to have originated in non-human primates and emerged in humans roughly 500-1,000 years ago, causes symptoms such as high fever, headaches, severe eye pain, joint pain, and general body discomfort. In severe cases, known as the critical phase, patients experience a drop in platelet count, leading to plasma leakage, haemorrhage, shock, and severe organ impairment.
Once infected, humans become the main carriers of the virus, passing it on to uninfected mosquitoes. The virus stays in the blood of an infected person for 2-7 days, typically during the fever period. After an incubation period of 4-10 days, infection with any of the four dengue virus types can cause a range of illnesses, though most infections are asymptomatic or very mild.
Recovery from one dengue virus type provides lifelong immunity to that type but only partial and short-term protection against the other three types. Evidence suggests that infection with different types increases the risk of severe dengue. Severity depends on factors like secondary infection, age, and other health conditions such as diabetes and kidney disease.
According to the World Health Organisation, there is no specific treatment for dengue; however, timely detection of cases and identifying any warning signs of severe dengue infection and appropriate case management are key elements of care to prevent patient death and can lower fatality rates of severe infection.
According to EDCD, dengue could be prevented by applying measures such as destroying larvae and clearing mosquito habitats and ensuring essential supplies like dengue kits, cetamol, and Jeevan Jal are available for those affected.
Nepal's first dengue case was reported in a traveller returning from India in 2004. Although there were no cases in 2005, the virus resurfaced in 2006 and has intermittently affected the country since.
Significant outbreaks occurred in 2006 and 2010, with the presence of all four serotypes confirmed in the country. From 2007 to 2009, sporadic cases and outbreaks were recorded. In 2010, dengue epidemics began affecting both lowland and mid-hill areas. In 2011, 79 confirmed cases were reported across 15 districts, with the highest incidence in Chitwan.
In 2012, 183 confirmed cases were reported, with a significant outbreak in Jhapa district. By September 2022, Nepal had experienced 28,109 confirmed and suspected dengue cases and 38 confirmed deaths. In 2023, approximately 51,143 people suffered from dengue infections.
Studies by the EDCD and National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) have identified all four subtypes of the dengue virus circulating in Nepal: DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4.
According to the Health Ministry, DENV-2 was the most prevalent serotype circulating in the country in 2023. In 2022, the cases of DENV-1 and DENV-3 were more common.
