Chitwan, June 14:

Health authorities Thursday said that the Chitwan district was highly prone to spreading dengue, a deadly disease transmitted by mosquito bite, and alerted people to remain safe from it.

Organizing a press meet, District Public Health Office (DPHO) said the district was at risk from dengue as cases of the disease were found here throughout the year.

Last year, among 1,101 suspected patients, 67 were affected by dengue, the DPHO said.

In large hospitals of Chitwan, the flow of patients suffering from fever was high, and among the patients, some dengue cases were seen.

Dr. Bijaya Paudel of Bharatpur Hospital said with the start of the summer season, dengue cases were found in the hospital.

Although dengue entered in Nepal in 2,000, the cases of dengue in the country were seen in 2006 also, Dr. Paudel said.

In 2010, a large number of people suffered from dengue in Chitwan.

"The dengue epidemic might occur in Chitwan anytime," Dr. Paudel stated.

The crowd of people and the climatic environment made Chiwan district a fertile land for dengue transmission by mosquitoes, he added.

"There is a high chance of dengue occurring and spreading in August, September and October," vector controller of DPHO Ram K.C. said.

During this May and June, three dengue patients were confirmed here, K.C. informed.

Speaking at the programme, doctors said that nearby districts of Nawalparasi and Rupandehi also were at risk of dengue.

Dengue is a kind of fever. Sometimes, people may not know they have the dengue fever. However, dengue hemorrhagic fever is severe; it is caused by a deadly infection spread by certain species of mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti), medics said.

Early symptoms of dengue hemorrhagic fever are irritable, restless and sweaty conditions. Bleeding and large patches of blood under the skin may be noticed.

According to WHO, worldwide more than 100 million dengue cases occur every year. Among them, a small number of people develop dengue hemorrhagic fever.

Unlike other mosquitoes, which breed in dirty water, dengue transmitting mosquitoes breed in clean and stagnant water, doctors said.

"The virus could pass in through clean water which we use in homes," Dr. Paudel said.

Medics suggested avoiding mosquito bites during the day time.

As it is a vector born disease, there is no vaccine and medicine developed to cure dengue fever.

Meanwhile, a week ago, five people died in Sirdibas, Gorkha, of unidentified diseases.

As this locality is a remote area and health institution is far form Sirdibas, District Public Health Office, Gorkha, cannot update the detail of death and affected people.

According to DPHO, Gorkha, a four-member team from DPHO was deployed there for a detailed study.