Jul 28, Kathmandu - The Health Directorate, Dhankuta, has reported that dengue infection has spread to 14 districts of Koshi Province.

According to the Directorate's Public Health Officer Surakshya Khatri, 3,181 people are infected with dengue in Koshi. Of these, three people have died, he said. Although the number of dengue infections in the hilly districts is very low, the data from the Directorate shows that it is higher in the four districts of the Terai.

He informed that so far, 913 people have been infected with dengue in Morang, 897 in Jhapa, 377 in Sunsari, 275 in Udayapur, 226 in Bhojpur, 143 in Dhankutta, 121 in Okhaldhunga, 70 in Panchthar, 10 in Khotang, two in Taplejung, five in Ilam, six in Solukhumbu and two in Tehrathum.

He said that dengue infections have increased 30-fold in the world in the past 50 years. He said that a search and destroy program is underway by health offices and local health workers in each district.