KATHMANDU: Nepal continues to grapple with a steady rise in dengue cases, with 144 new infections recorded nationwide in the past week.

Previously limited to the monsoon season, dengue transmission has now persisted through the end of October, heightening public health concerns.

According to the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD), 24 new cases were confirmed in the past 24 hours alone, bringing the country’s total number of dengue infections to 6,668 this year.

Province-wise data show that Bagmati Province has been hit hardest with 1,649 cases, followed by Gandaki Province (1,631), Lumbini (1,117), Koshi (895), Sudurpashchim (762), Karnali (474), and Madhesh Province (139).

Health authorities warn that the prolonged spread of dengue beyond the rainy season reflects a worrying shift in the mosquito-borne disease’s transmission pattern, likely influenced by warmer temperatures, poor sanitation, and stagnant water sources in urban areas.

Public health experts have urged citizens to maintain clean surroundings and eliminate mosquito breeding sites to curb the infection’s spread.