BUTWAL, Sept 22: As the cases of dengue infection have seen a sharp rise, local hospitals in Butwal are flooded with a large number of patients of this viral disease. At least three people have lost their lives in Lumbini province as  a result of dengue infection so far.

According to the Lumbini Province Health Directorate, three people have died due to dengue infection and hundreds of infected have been admitted to hospital. According to Pushparaj Paudel, Spokesperson at the Provincial Health Directorate, one person each died due to dengue infection in Palpa, Dang and Bardiya so far.

Paudel said that 2,683 people have been infected with dengue so far in Lumbini province. After the sudden increase in infections in August, the Lumbini Provincial Hospital  in Butwal has witnessed a huge influx of dengue-infected people.

According to the Directorate, up to 40 people infected with dengue visit Lumbini Provincial Hospital in Butwal, Bheri Hospital in Banke, Rapti Institute of Health Sciences and various hospitals each day. Spokesperson Paudel said that dengue infection was confirmed in about 400 people until mid-July and more than 2,200 infected people were added in August alone.

However, the Lumbini province government has not yet allocated any budget for dengue control. Spokesperson Poudel said that the government has already set aside a lump sum budget for various epidemic diseases and the preventive measures are being carried out with the same budget.

Dengue infection, which was first detected in FY 2010/11 among 290 people in Rupandehi, spread like an epidemic in 2019/20 and was detected among 2,930 people. This year too, dengue infection is spreading like an epidemic after the dengue prevention campaign has failed.

 
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