CHITWAN: Chitwan has reported two confirmed cases of dengue and six cases of scrub typhus so far this month, according to the Public Health Office.
Health officials said a woman from Kalika Municipality and a man from Ichchakamana Rural Municipality tested positive for dengue.
Scrub typhus has been detected in six local residents, including one man and four women from Bharatpur Metropolitan City and one man from Ratnanagar Municipality.
The office also reported that two patients who arrived in Chitwan from other districts for treatment were found to have dengue, while 28 visiting patients tested positive for scrub typhus. As a result, the district’s total dengue cases for the month have reached four, while scrub typhus cases have climbed to 34.
Public Health Office records show that 178 people have undergone dengue tests and 211 have been tested for scrub typhus. No fatalities from either disease have been reported so far, said vector control inspector Ram KC.
KC said the Find and Destroy Larvae campaign has been launched in coordination with local governments to reduce the growing risk of dengue during the coming months. The campaign started in Ichchakamana Rural Municipality and is being expanded to other municipalities alongside public awareness activities.
Female community health volunteers, health workers, security personnel, and local representatives are participating in the effort, which focuses on educating residents and eliminating mosquito breeding sites.
With the monsoon season increasing the risk of dengue, KC urged residents to prevent water from accumulating in places such as courtyards, bushes, old tires, flower pots, and other containers.
He also cautioned that scrub typhus becomes more active during the rainy season and advised people to clear bushes around their homes and take precautions while cutting grass or visiting fields and forests. Wearing clothes that fully cover the body and avoiding tick bites are important preventive measures, he added.
KC urged anyone experiencing symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches, or eye pain to seek testing at a health facility immediately, as the risk of both dengue and scrub typhus rises during the rainy season.
