Kathmandu, May 29

A-25 year-old man from Bhaisepati area of Lalitpur district has tested positive for dengue virus.

Doctors at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, where the patient was admitted for treatment of high fever, said that the deadly disease was confirmed after laboratory test.

They said the man also complained of severe muscle and joint pain, headache, backache and vomiting.

“We have tested his blood sample in the hospital laboratory, and infection due to the dengue virus was confirmed,” said virologist at STIDH, Dr Sher Bahadur Pun.

According to Dr Pun, this might be the first case of dengue infection this year in Kathmandu Valley.

Dr Pun said that confirmation of the virus during the pre-monsoon season is alarming, as the capital city is densely populated and dengue cases are generally seen in the post-monsoon period.

“It is alarming as the season for dengue is yet to start, but the disease has already been detected,” Pun added.

He informed that the patient is still undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Last year too, over a dozen people in Kathmandu Valley were infected with the dengue virus.

Health workers have warned of a dengue epidemic as several studies that were carried out by the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division under the Department of Health Services in the past had found significant number of Aedes-aegypti and Aedes-albopicitus mosquitoes that are responsible spread dengue and  chikungunya in Kathmandu Valley.

Dr Pun said that Aedes-aegypti and Aedes-albopicitus mosquitoes bite in the day time and breed in clean water.

Mild to high fever, severe headache, pain in the eyes, muscles and rashes are some of the symptoms of the disease.