KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of rising dengue fever cases in eastern Afghanistan, urging residents to protect themselves against mosquito bites and seek medical attention if they develop symptoms.
In a post on X on Thursday, the UN agency listed common symptoms of the disease, including high fever, headache, pain behind the eyes, nausea and body aches.
Dengue is a viral disease transmitted to humans through the bites of infected Aedes mosquitoes. Most people experience mild or moderate symptoms, but severe cases can cause serious complications and become life-threatening, according to the WHO.
Earlier, local sources also reported a significant increase in dengue infections across eastern Afghanistan, particularly in Nangarhar province, where two young men died from the disease earlier this week. According to the sources, both men had been receiving treatment at local hospitals for several weeks before their deaths. One died in Jalalabad city and the other in Momand Dara district.
Residents of Nangarhar have expressed concern over the growing number of cases. A local resident speaking to KabulNow attributed the rise to insufficient public health measures to contain the outbreak, limited access to medical care and shortages of essential medicines.
The increase in dengue cases comes as Afghanistan’s healthcare system continues to face challenges following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. Reduced international assistance, economic difficulties and the return of millions of Afghans from neighboring countries have added pressure on medical services.
Hundreds of health facilities across the country have closed or reduced their operations in recent years, largely because of funding shortages. Restrictions imposed by the Taliban on women’s participation in healthcare and humanitarian work have further affected the delivery of essential medical services, particularly for women and girls.
The WHO and other humanitarian organizations have repeatedly called for increased international assistance to maintain basic healthcare services, strengthen disease surveillance and improve Afghanistan’s capacity to prevent, detect and respond to infectious disease outbreaks.
