Nine new cases of dengue, a mosquito-borne disease, were reported in the Dharan sub-metropolis on Sunday, pushing the number of patients to 12 in the past 10 days.

Health workers said the new patients are from Sampang Chowk, Kanchan Marg, Mama Chowk, Dhurba Jyoti Marga, Dashrath Path and Puspalal Marga. Last week, children from Puspalal Marga and Everest Line in Dharan-15 were diagnosed with dengue.

Patients have been undergoing treatment at the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS). According to Ram Babu Yadav, chief at the Health Section of the sub-metropolis, they are discussing with the stakeholders ways to control the outbreak.

Though the sub-metropolis office started a drive to destroy mosquito larvae and spray medicines in the affected areas with technical assistance from the BPKIHS from Wednesday, it was not effective. The sub-metropolis had sprayed pesticides at Everest Line, Pathibhara Line, Pindeshwor Chowk, Puspalal Marga, Devkota Chowk, Budhasubba Chowk, Sadan Marga, Dhurbajyotipath Chowk, and Chemjong Path, among other areas of Dharan-15, to control mosquitoes.

Yadav said they have to destroy mosquito habitats completely to get rid of the insect. Dr Devraj Adhikari of the BPKIHS said that the patients who showed symptoms of fever, stomach ache and nausea were confirmed to be suffering from dengue. He said, “We have shifted them to the hospital ward from emergency care for further

treatment.”

Dengue is an infectious disease contracted from mosquitoes belonging to the Aedes Aegypti genus. Doctors said that its symptoms range from mild fever to incapacitating high fever, severe headache, muscle and joint pain, and skin rashes.

According to doctors, Dharan experiences a sharp unseasonal increase in dengue infections and is currently at the risk of a dengue epidemic. Municipal officials said they have been conducting awareness campaigns in various wards of the sub-metropolis. They have requested the local residents to exercise caution and stay safe from dengue-causing mosquitoes.