Kathmandu, Sept 29: Dengue infections in Nepal have crossed 5,000 this year, raising concerns that the upcoming Dashain festival could further accelerate the spread.
According to the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD), a total of 5,196 cases have been confirmed since mid-January 2025. In the past week alone, 294 new cases were reported. Dengue has now spread to 75 districts, with Gandaki Province recording the highest number at 1,327, followed by Bagmati with 1,191, Lumbini with 911, Koshi with 737, Sudurpaschim with 622, Karnali with 296, and Madhesh with 112.
Health experts caution that the actual number of cases could be much higher than reported. EDCD officials say government data only reflects a fraction of infections because many patients do not undergo testing or remain asymptomatic.
Dr. Gokarna Dahal, head of the EDCD’s Vector-Borne Disease Control Section, said this year’s spread is less severe compared to last year. Although cases have been reported from nearly all districts, no major “hotspot” has emerged so far. “Last year, Kathmandu and other areas saw an alarming spike, but this year the risk of a major outbreak appears lower,” he said.
Still, experts warn that large-scale travel during Dashain could worsen the situation. Nepal has faced repeated dengue outbreaks in recent years. The disease, transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, was first detected in 2004 in Chitwan in a foreign national. It spread to Tarai and inner Madhesh districts in 2006.
In 2020, an outbreak in Dharan led to 18,000 infections and 12 deaths across 43 districts. In 2022, dengue spread to all 77 districts, infecting over 54,000 people and killing 88. The following year, Koshi Province was hit hard, with more than 52,000 cases and 20 deaths. In 2024, 15 people died and 41,865 cases were reported nationwide.
Experts say dengue has now become endemic in Nepal, with year-round risks. They stress that community awareness and preventive measures remain key to controlling its spread.
–– People’s News Monitoring Service
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