Nepal Faces Unusual Dengue Surge: Over 41,000 Cases and Rising

Nepal is grappling with an unusual surge in dengue cases. It first recorded the disease in 2004 and in 2023 till now the country has experienced at least 20 deaths and over 41,000 cases this year across 76 of its 77 districts, according to officials. The situation is so dire that this year could rival the 2022 record of 88 fatalities and 54,000 cases, noted Uttam Koirala, a senior public health officer with the national epidemiology and disease control division.

Meghnath Dhimal, a senior research officer at the Nepal Health Research Council (NHRC), stated that dengue's prevalence and spread have rapidly increased across the nation in recent years. Due to rising temperatures, dengue cases are now appearing during the colder autumn months, and even high-altitude mountain districts previously unaffected by the disease are struggling to contain it. Dhimal labeled these shifting patterns as "strange."

One example is Dharan City in eastern Nepal's mountain region. According to local health division chief Umesh Mehta, dengue cases have surged at such an alarming rate that hospitals and ambulances are swamped by demand. As of late August, daily dengue cases in the city of over 160,000 people peaked at 1,700.

The World Health Organization (WHO) attributes the rise in dengue cases partly to global warming favoring mosquitoes. Other factors include human mobility, urbanization, and sanitation issues. Moreover, climate change has led to extended monsoon seasons with erratic rainfall patterns and an increase in mosquito breeding grounds, experts say.

Intensified floods caused by heavy rains and melting glaciers – driven by climate change – have also contributed significantly to dengue's propagation. Nepal and other affected areas in South Asia must develop a national plan to adapt their healthcare systems and prevent diseases like dengue from becoming catastrophic.

With no specific medicinal preventive measure for dengue, health experts emphasize the importance of controlling mosquito breeding, public engagement, and symptom management. Officials are spraying insecticides around cities to kill mosquitoes and issuing fines if larvae breeding sites are discovered. Continuous communication with residents about potential risks and year-round monitoring is essential.

Dhimal from the NHRC highlights that no single authority can halt dengue's spread since mosquitoes are found in various places, including those beyond the government's reach, such as garages and corners of houses. He urges everyone to be informed, proactive, and cooperative in controlling the disease's proliferation. Civil society and development organizations are also playing their part in combating dengue.