The Nepali Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) will start various programs to check dengue fever from next week, a leading English daily The Himalayan Times reported on Wednesday.

According to the daily, the districts in southern Nepal bordering India have a high risk of catching the disease.

The Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) is starting a surveillance system in Morang, Parsa, Chitwan and Nepalgunj districts. Surveillance teams in the districts will identify high-risk groups who frequently visit India.

In case of detection of dengue virus, the patients will be given rapid diagnostic tests after fever for six days, Dr Manas Banerjee, director at EDCD told the daily.

He was also quoted by the daily as saying that physicians will also be given training on treating people suffering from dengue hemorrhagic fever.

Till date dengue fever has not been reported in the country.

Meanwhile, the MoHP has issued notice to all the health posts, sub-health posts and zonal hospitals to take necessary precautions to check the dengue virus from spreading, especially in the border areas.

Arjun Bahadur Singh, spokesperson at Health Ministry, said that the ministry has intensified awareness programs and mosquito nets have been provided in the high-risk districts in the country.

(Xinhua News Agency October 11, 2006)