Nepalgunj, October 10:

Symptoms of dengue fever, a disease which has spread in India, were seen in six patients visiting the Nepalgunj Medical College and Kohalpur Medical College, said M Kidwai, director of the College.

Dengue symptoms were seen in the six patients, including Kalu Ram Chaudhari (25), a resident of Basgadhi in Bardiya and Bidhya Maharjan (55) of Tulsipur- 5 in Dang, he said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) will, from next week, start various programmes to check dengue.

The districts bordering India have a high risk of catching the disease. The Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) is starting a surveillance system in Morang, Parsa, Chitwan and Nepalgunj districts.

Surveillance teams in the districts would identify high-risk groups, who frequently visit India.

In case of detection of dengue virus, the patients would be given rapid diagnostic tests after fever for six days, said Dr Manas Banerjee, director at EDCD. He also said that physicians would also be given training on treating people suffering from Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever. Till date dengue fever has not been reported in the country.