Chitwan, September 7

More than 1,000 people were found infected with dengue in Chitwan district last month. The number is record high compared to dengue cases reported in the district in many years.

Vector Control Inspector Ram KC of District Health Office Chitwan said as many as 2,892 people had visited various hospitals in the district for treatment. Of them, 1,036 were found infected with dengue. “Dengue was detected in people living in urban areas and dense settlement,” said KC.

According to him, as many as 800 people were found infected with dengue in Bharatpur Metropolitan City alone. Ward No 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 11 and 12 were affected most by dengue.

A foreign national was also found infected with dengue in 2004 for the first time, said KC. Dengue outbreak has escalated ever since in the district.

According to records of the District Health Office dengue was detected in 739 persons in 2010-11 while only 68 persons were infected with dengue in 2011-12. In the year 2013-14 dengue was reported in 52 persons. In 2014-15 dengue was detected in 371 persons while dengue had infected 119 persons in 2015-16. Eighty-five people were infected in fiscal 2016-17. Likewise, a total of 687 persons were infected with the disease in 2017-18. Only 31 persons were found infected with dengue in the last fiscal.

The District Health Office has been launching awareness programmes to prevent dengue outbreaks.

Campaigns are under way to destroy mosquitoes in collaboration with local levels and tole reform committees. Similarly, local levels and social organisations have initiated awareness campaigns and rallies to destroy mosquitoes.

Bharatpur Hospital senior physician Dr Bhojraj Adhikari said mosquitoes responsible for dengue outbreak were more common in city areas compared to rural areas.

Meanwhile, as many as nine persons were found infected with dengue in Golbazaar Municipality of Siraha district. Dengue was detected in seven persons at Ward No 4 while two people were infected with the disease at Ward No 2.

Those infected with dengue included four members of Devnath Sah’s family, mayor of the municipality. Mayor Sah said that his office was working to destroy dengue causing mosquitoes.

There has been an unprecedented rise in the number of cases across the country. Climate change has been blamed for rising number of dengue cases. Doctors have suggested to keep the environment clean as a preventive measure.