Monsoon is just around the corner. And health issues linked to the season are already surfacing.

Along with a surge in dengue infections, hospitals in Kathmandu have already reported a rise in waterborne and foodborne illnesses, as well as snakebite cases.

According to Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, at least seven patients infected with the dengue virus were admitted to the hospital in recent days. On Sunday alone, seven snakebite victims sought emergency care at the hospital, which is also seeing six to eight diarrhoeal cases daily.

“The number of water-borne, food-borne, and snakebite cases has risen in our hospital of late,” said Dr Yuba Nidhi Basaula, director at the hospital. “Everyone must be cautious about possible risk factors and take precautions.”

The monsoon season in Nepal is a time of epidemics during which thousands of people across the country become infected with waterborne and vector-borne diseases. Officials have warned that health facilities could see a further uptick in the number of viral fever cases, and waterborne diseases—diarrhoea, dysentery, food poisoning, and snakebites.

“Three to four people are testing positive for dengue virus every day,” said Basanta Adhikari, chief of the Health Office, Kathmandu. “We have alerted all local units in the districts and have asked them to carry outa dengue search and destroy drive to lessen the spread of the deadly disease and make people aware of the looming risks.”

Dengue is a mosquito-borne disease transmitted by the female Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. The same vector also transmits chikungunya, yellow fever, and Zika, according to the World Health Organisation.

The Epidemiology and Disease Control Division said that over 900 people from 57 districts have tested positive for the dengue virus since January. All three districts of the Valley—Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur—have reported cases.

Since dengue became endemic in Nepal years ago, meaning people get infected throughout the year, health officials no longer classify it as an outbreak of a deadly virus.

At least 15 died, and 41,865 others were infected in 2024 as the virus spread to 76 districts. Experts say reported cases may only represent a small fraction of the true scale of the dengue outbreak, as around 90 percent of the infected people are asymptomatic and deaths and infections often go underreported.

Many people infected with dengue show mild symptoms, which do not need any treatment or can be managed with paracetamol at home.

As there is no specific treatment for dengue, health workers provide symptomatic care, including platelet-rich plasma transfusion.

Experts warn that the rising temperatures, coupled with pre-monsoon rainfall, create the perfect environment for dengue-spreading vectors to breed. They say that unless the general public is made aware of the problem and takes it seriously, the spread of the dengue virus will not lessen. They asked the authorities concerned to learn from past experiences while taking preventive measures.

Doctors say along with launching a search-and-destroy drive on a regular basis, authorities should also focus on strengthening the capacity of health facilities to prevent them from being overwhelmed in the event of a possible massive outbreak, experts say.

Dengue-transmitting mosquitoes breed in clean water and bite people in daylight. Uncovered water tanks and discarded objects such as plastic cups and bottles could be breeding grounds for dengue-carrying mosquitoes.

According to doctors, mild to high fever, severe muscle pain, rashes, severe headache and pain in the eyes are some symptoms of dengue. Doctors advise those with these symptoms to seek immediate treatment. While there is no specific cure for the disease, early detection and access to proper medical care can lower fatalities.

Nepal reported its first dengue case in a foreigner in 2004 in Chitwan district. Since then, an increasing number of dengue infections, including major outbreaks, have been reported from many districts.

The World Health Organisation says there is no specific cure for severe dengue, but early detection and access to proper medical care can save lives.