Dengue fever cases in Nepal continue to persist despite the arrival of cooler temperatures, even with the onset of cooler temperatures.
The latest reports from the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) indicate a total of 28,212 infections nationwide. The dengue has claimed 12 lives, and dengue cases have now been reported in 76 districts so far.
A breakdown of dengue cases by province reveals that Gandaki Province has been the hardest hit, reporting 13,898 cases, followed by Bagmati Province with 9,132 cases. Other affected provinces include Koshi with 1,742 cases, Lumbini with 1,445, Madhesh with 487, Sudurpaschim with 1,189, and Karnali with 319.
The Kathmandu Valley is particularly vulnerable, with combined cases from Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur totaling 6,248.
Dengue is primarily spread through bites from infected Aedes mosquitoes, especially Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, which thrive in stagnant water-common during the monsoon season.
Studies by EDCD and the National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) have confirmed the circulation of all four dengue virus subtypes in Nepal: DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4.
Currently, serotypes 1, 2, and 3 are actively spreading, stated Dr. Gokarna Prasad Dahal, Chief of the Vector-Borne Disease Control Section at the EDCD, as reported by RSS. He emphasized that the risk of dengue fever is likely to persist until mid-November, as mosquitoes remain active during this time.
Although temperatures are decreasing, which should gradually reduce mosquito populations, the risk of dengue remains high in densely populated urban centers like the Kathmandu Valley and in rural areas where conditions are favorable for mosquito breeding.
