Climate shifts and urbanization drive Nepal dengue surge

Nepal is fighting a surge in dengue cases, a potentially deadly disease once unheard of in the country's high-altitude Himalayan regions. Only a single case of dengue was recorded in Nepal in 2004. Two decades later, thousands of cases are being reported across the country. Twelve people have died and more than 28,000 people have been infected this year, including 18 cases in Solukhumbu district, home to Mount Everest.

Doctors said the real number might be higher, as not everyone is tested. In the worst cases, dengue causes intense viral fevers that trigger bleeding, internally or from the mouth and nose. The capital Kathmandu has seen over 4,000 cases.