“Three people have been diagnosed with dengue fever on Wednesday alone. In the past four days, 23 cases have been reported and the number is rising,” said Ram KC, the Vector Control Inspector at DPHO. [break]
According to the DPHO, only 27 cases of dengue fever, the disease caused by dengue virus transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, were diagnosed between mid-July to mid-September. However, the disease also known as breakbone fever has been detected in 50 persons in the last month alone.
A DPHO report reveals that 110 dengue cases have been reported in the district in the last three months. Only 52 cases were reported during the corresponding period last year.
According to the report, 917 patients were tested for the fever over the past three months.
KC informed that the highest numbers of patients are found at Bharatpur Municipality as 26 people were diagnosed with the disease there.
Similarly, five people from Ratnanagar municipality have also tested positive. The report states that 43 cases of dengue fever were found among the patients admitted to Bharatpur Hospital while 32 cases were detected in Chitwan Medical College.
Similarly, National City Hospital, Naryayani Community Hospital and Bharatpur Medical College have confirmed dengue virus in 14, 10, and 7 patients respectively. Likewise, 4 dengue patients were detected in Bharatpur Community Hospital.
According to KC, the locals are frightened whenever they see black mosquitoes with white spots. “My children found some black mosquitoes around our house. Would you please come to spray medicine,” KC quoted a local, who called him the other day.
In the wake of dengue outbreak, the DPHO has urged the local residents to dry up stagnant sources of water as such places are the breeding grounds of the mosquitoes.
Rainfall during the Dashain rejuvenated mosquitoes, according to DPHO chief, Kehar Singh Godar. “We had destroyed mosquito eggs visiting each and every household in June, July and September. However, the rainfall in first week of October resulted in the renewed breeding of mosquitoes,” Godar added.
The dengue outbreak was first reported in Chitwan in 2011, when 739 people were diagnosed with the disease. The numbers of dengue fever patients have decreased over the years.
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