Kathmandu, October 9
Kathmandu valley has seen a surge in dengue cases over the last month. The number of patients being admitted due to dengue is rising every day, say public health officials.
Shukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital says dengue cases are on the rise with many visiting the OPD over the past few weeks.
The hospital’s consultant physician, Dr Bimal Sharma Chalise, reported that 12 dengue patients were admitted to the hospital on Sunday alone.
“The cases are going up significantly over the past few days. We believe it will continue to rise in coming days,” says Sharma who adds the hospital has been seeing around 40 people with dengue symptoms.
Patan Hospital has also admitted 45 dengue patients over the past week.
“On a daily basis, we admit 10 to 12 people,” said hospital director Dr Ravi Shakya. “Dengue is entering most households and the hospital is filling up with patients.”
Read also: Dengue fever: Symptoms, treatment and prevention
Recently, there has been a surge in the number of patients seeking care at the OPD of the TU Teaching Hospital. Dr Savin Thapaliya, the hospital’s designated dengue focal person, said that 10 individuals with dengue have been admitted over the past week.
“We are seeing 10 to 15 new cases daily. In the next two to three weeks, we expect the infection rate to escalate further,” said Thapaliya.
As per the Kathmandu Health Office, approximately 60 to 70 cases of dengue are confirmed on a daily basis. Experts stress that the rising number of new cases is heightening the risk of an outbreak. According to data from the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD), dengue cases have been recorded in 76 districts this year.
