Dengue fever outbreak confirmed in Afghanistan: WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that a new wave of dengue fever has been confirmed in Afghanistan with a total of 64 cases being reported between June 12 and July 30 in eastern Nangarhar province.

No deaths have been reported so far from the disease. Of the 64 reported cases, 47 (73.4%) were female, and all were over 5 years of age.

“Afghanistan is already battling a mix of complex humanitarian emergencies because of the ongoing conflict, recurrent natural disasters and disease outbreaks,” said Dr Luo Dapeng, WHO
Representative in Afghanistan.

“Although the reported number of dengue cases can still be managed, we need to take urgent action to prevent further spread and minimize its impact on the country’s health system and on the limited number of health workers.”

WHO said it is leading the response to the ongoing dengue outbreak by providing technical support to the activities of health authorities and partners. WHO has distributed 2000 dengue fever rapid diagnostic tests, and 7020 Gravitraps for vector surveillance and vector control activities in highly-affected districts in the province.

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne disease with potentially severe public health impact.

Prevention is the most effective approach to reducing the risk of dengue infection, as there is no specific treatment for the disease.

Outbreaks of dengue fever have emerged sporadically in Afghanistan. The first outbreak was reported in 2019 in east Afghanistan with only 15 cases. By September 2021, the disease had resurfaced, infecting 775 people and killing one person.