Damauli: A dengue outbreak in Tanahun district has affected 732 individuals, with one fatality reported, according to the local health office. Over the past three months, 732 confirmed cases of dengue fever have emerged in the district.

The deceased, identified as Engineer Kamal Prasad Sharma, was employed by Byas Municipality and succumbed to the infection, as reported by Shankar Babu Adhikari, the chief of the health office in Tanahun.

Adhikari emphasized the importance of caution and prevention against the disease, noting that Damauli Hospital has an adequate supply of dengue testing kits. Dengue is primarily transmitted through the bites of mosquitoes infected with the dengue virus, which tend to bite during the daytime. The disease often becomes more prevalent during the monsoon season.

Common symptoms of dengue fever include high fever, severe headache, eye pain, body aches, loss of appetite, joint and muscle pain, and gastrointestinal disturbances.

To prevent dengue, healthcare professionals recommend wearing clothing that covers the entire body, using mosquito nets for sleeping during both day and night, and applying mosquito repellent while working outdoors or in the fields.

In response to complaints of overcharging for dengue testing, local authorities conducted monitoring of various hospitals and clinics in Damauli bazaar. Following this monitoring, a meeting chaired by Chief District Officer Chhabi Lal Rijal established a fee limit of not more than NPR 600 for a dengue test. This limit was set based on the average cost of testing kits and the pricing practices of neighboring districts.

The meeting also called for the lab operators to be held accountable for any overcharging for dengue tests and aimed to prevent artificial shortages of testing kits. Additionally, it encouraged collaboration among stakeholders to effectively prevent and control dengue infections in the district.