Inaruwa, Aug 2: In response to the dengue outbreak in the region, all educational institutions operating within Dharan sub-metropolis have been temporarily closed down. During the executive committee meeting held on Tuesday, a collective effort was decided upon to prevent and control the contagion. Dharan sub-metropolis mayor, Harka Raj Sampang, informed that the decision was taken to prioritize the dengue control campaign by suspending teaching and learning activities in schools.

The sub-metropolis has called on teachers and students to actively participate in the dengue control campaign during their holidays. Additionally, the meeting urged social organizations, Tole development organizations, local communities, and the general public to engage in the campaign within their respective wards. Matrika Bhattarai, Chief Administrative Officer of Dharan sub-metropolis, stated that the closure of schools was necessary to efficiently execute a search and destroy campaign targeting the larvae of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the dengue-transmitting vector.

Naresh Kumar Iwaram, the chairperson of Dharan-15, emphasized the importance of mobilizing the general public widely to combat the outbreak effectively. The understanding is that dengue transmission will not be contained until the larvae and eggs of the mosquitoes responsible are eradicated.

Since the first week of June, the dengue virus has claimed the lives of eight people in Dharan, including a young girl. With the surge in dengue cases, obtaining beds in health facilities, including private clinics and BP Koirala Institute for Health Sciences, has become challenging for infected patients.

According to Umesh Mehata, the Chief of the sub-metropolis health section, out of 4,218 people examined, 2,495 have tested positive for dengue, with the number of cases continuing to rise.