Nepal has become victim to the deadly dengue epidemic, which has affected more than 4,000 people and is slowly taking their lives.<\/p>\n
As of September 09, 2019, the number of dengue patients in the nation has increased by 52 percent.<\/p>\n
The country recorded a total of 3,899 people affected with dengue until September 08, 2019. According to the Nepal Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, the given number of people were tested positive for dengue. The number increased by 268 cases from September 03, 2019.<\/p>\n
Following the rapid spread of the epidemic, lawmakers have began drawing the attention from the government, who are yet to comment or take action on the alarming situation in Nepal.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to make a concerted effort to contain the infection as the government cannot do much on its own. Every household and community should play a proactive role to limit the infection,\u201d said a senior Health and Population Ministry official on condition of anonymity.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The epidemic has began claiming lives of the affected, increasing the death toll at an alarming rate.<\/p>\n
Dengue Cases As of September 19, 2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n
The dengue fever cases in Chitwan, Kathmandu and Bhaktapur is seeing a rapid upward climb, signaling the beginning of a dengue epidemic in Nepal.<\/p>\n
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- Chitwan has reported more than 2,000 cases of dengue over the last two months.<\/li>\n
- As many as 1,170 dengue cases have been reported in Kathmandu until September 10, 2019<\/li>\n
- Bhaktapur has recorded a total of 197 dengue cases within two weeks, as of September 18, 2019<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Despite these alarming numbers, the Nepal Government has not declared a state of emergency in Nepal.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Nepal Deputy Prime Minister of Health and Population Upendra Yadav stated that there was no need to declare \u2018health emergency\u2019 in the country, while addressing the House of Representatives on September 18, 2019.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Yadav explained that dengue was a global concern as there was no vaccine or medicine to treat or control the disease.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe most effective method to contain the outbreak is to search and destroy larvae that breed dengue causing mosquitoes. Containing dengue outbreak has become a major challenge even for the developed countries. Dengue was listed by the WHO as one of the most serious diseases,\u201d Yadav said.<\/p>\n
Yadav said that the Health Ministry was making the following efforts to control the disease in Nepal:<\/strong><\/p>\n
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- Discouraging the use of dengue kits for their inefficacy to diagnose dengue<\/li>\n
- Shift patients from already full Sukraraj Tropical and infectious Disease Hospital to other hospitals in Kathmandu \u2013 Bir, Civil and TU Teaching Hospitals.<\/li>\n
- Provision of NPR 60 million to local levels for disease control<\/li>\n
- An operation to search and destroy larvae that bred dengue causing mosquitoes<\/li>\n
- Stationing monitoring teams in affected areas<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Yadav received heavy criticism from lawmakers including Aman Lal Modi, Birodh Khatiwada, Dev Prasad Timilsina and Mina Subba among many others for failing to control the large outbreak and administer the required care for the affected.<\/p>\n
While some NCP Lawmakers questioned Yadav\u2019s delay in dealing with dengue, some other raised questions on his frequent visits to foreign countries during the time of crisis, among many other questions.<\/p>\n
\nDengue Cases and Deaths in Nepal<\/h3>\n