WHO warns of increase in dengue cases in Afghanistan

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that with the onset of the rainy season, dengue cases could increase in Afghanistan.

WHO Afghanistan said on Twitter that they have trained health workers to manage dengue cases.

“WHO has recently trained 300 doctors, nurses & lab technicians from 18 hospitals & 250 health facilities from Kunar, Laghman, Nuristan & Nangarhar,” it said.

WHO also said that a three-day dengue case management training course was done in 12 batches where a total of 65 female health workers participated.

“As we prepare health facilities, we remind the public to protect yourself and family from mosquito bites and prevent dengue,” WHO said.

Dengue fever symptoms include fever, muscle pain, nausea, and rashes, but it tends to be more severe and sometimes fatal on repeat infection, making its containment a long-term concern.

It is carried by a species of mosquito that thrives in domestic settings, laying eggs in pools of water in and around homes, making areas without running water particularly vulnerable, and monitoring of breeding sites labor-intensive.