Kathmandu, August 27

Ten dengue fever cases have been reported from across the country so far this year.

These cases were reported from Sarlahi, Jhapa, Kaski, Gorkha, Kapilbastu, Dang, Aachham, Bara, Dhading and Chitwan districts.

Dengue cases increase during the rainy season as stagnant water provides breeding grounds for mosquitoes. A black and white mosquito, Aedes Aegypti, lays eggs in pots or empty containers from which fresh water has recently dried. Any place which has stagnant water is a potential breeding ground. People are advised to take precaution and destroy breeding sites, keep the environment clean and use mosquito repellents.

Last year, more than 1,500 cases of dengue were reported from across the country. Of them, 800 cases were reported from Chitwan alone.

District public health offices have already been instructed to search and destroy possible breeding sites, said Rajendra Mishra, vector control officer, Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, Teku.

Dengue is a viral disease transmitted by the bite of a mosquito infected with dengue virus.

However, it doesn’t transmit from person to person. Swelling of face, hands and feet and random bleeding are some symptoms of dengue haemorrhagic fever.

People with these symptoms should be taken to a physician without any delay. Other symptoms of the disease are high fever, severe headache, retro-orbital pain (pain behind the eyes), pain in muscles, bone pain, (break bone fever), back pain, nausea and skin rashes.