Santosh Mehta has just returned from Mumbai to his home in Raikawar, Kanchanpur district to celebrate Dashain. However, high fever that subsides with simple medication has become a hurdle for his spending quality time with his family this vacation season.

Following some medical tests, doctors said that he is suffering from dengue. Mehta is not the sole case of fever among India returnees in the district. Four other cases of the mosquito-borne tropical disease have been identified within just a few days, according to Seti Zonal Hospital. All of them are individuals who returned recently from India. “The situation has now become serious as one of the patients breathed his last on Friday night. The virus has also been detected in 26 others who returned from India,” said Dr Suvesh Kayastha of the zonal hospital. 

Dr Kayastha urged all workers returning here from various places in India to go through blood tests as soon as they arrive back, in order to bring the situation under control. Most of the patients, who are unidentified, complained of similar symptoms such as headache, nausea, vomiting and high fever, Dr Kayatha said. “We are serious about the dengue among Nepali workers returning from Mumbai and Gujarat to celebrate Dashain,” he said.

General ward chief at the zonal hospital Dr Yashoda Dhakal said that the hospital was receiving around four patients with dengue-like symptoms per day. 

In Kailali district, dengue was first detected in September 2010. Altogether 24 persons were found positive for the dengue virus that year and one of them has died. In 2011, two persons were found with dengue and the number of cases rose again in 2012 to nine, one of whom died. Last year 20 people were detected with the virus in the district, according to the hospital. 

The mosquito carrying the dengue virus lives in clean water and bites humans in broad daylight rather than in the dark of night. September and October are considered the most vulnerable period. To avoid further problems, the hospital has urged Dhangadhi municipality to start a spraying campaign.

Published on: 28 September 2014 | Republica