Dengue outbreak in Gandaki Province affects over 18,000, claims 8 lives

Kathmandu: Dengue has been confirmed in 18,339 individuals across Gandaki Province in the last ten months, with eight fatalities reported, according to the Ministry of Health of the provincial government.

The first recorded death was a 48-year-old man from Tanahu on July 25, 2024. Subsequent fatalities included a 40-year-old man on August 6 and a 52-year-old woman on August 15 in Kaski, followed by a 61-year-old man in Myagdi on September 4. In Kaski, four women aged 81, 70, 75, and 26 succumbed to the disease on September 6, September 18, September 30, and October 20, respectively.

Kaski reported the highest number of cases, with 8,979 infections, including 8,858 cases in Pokhara Metropolitan City alone, the provincial capital. In contrast, Manang district recorded the lowest number of cases, with just six infections reported during the same period.

Prashanta Raj Sharma, the Information Officer at the Ministry, stated that 12 local levels in the province have not reported any dengue cases to date.

The monthly breakdown of cases reveals a sharp increase in infections. Dengue was confirmed in 70 people in January, escalating to 6,267 cases by September. In October, 6,044 cases were reported, and 947 infections have been recorded since the start of November.

Source: Rashtriya Samachar Samiti