KATHMANDU: Three coronavirus infected people died at the Corona Special Hospital in Butwal two and a half hours apart on Monday morning.
Among the dead were a 79-year-old man from Banganga-3, Kapilvastu and a 79-year-old woman from Malarani-5, Arghakhanchi. A 71-year-old woman of Tilottama-1, Rupandehi was admitted to the hospital on April 5. There is a similarity in the three deaths, they came to the hospital with fever, pneumonia, asthma and respiratory problems.
According to the Ministry of Health and Population, eight people have died of coronavirus infection. The death toll in the last few days has risen to 13 in a single day, adding to the five others reported on Monday.
The number of newly infected people has also exceeded 500 on Monday. According to the Ministry, PCR testing of 5105 samples confirmed the infection in 496 people. Antigen testing of 727 people at eight entry points to Nepal from India has confirmed infection in 63 people. The highest number of 54 people tested positive for antigen at Trinagar Health Desk in Kanchanpur.
Statistics from the Ministry of Health show that the number of infected people rose in the last few days. But public health experts say the infection did not spread suddenly. The doctor of Shukraraj Tropical and Communicable Diseases Hospital in Teku, Kathmandu, Dr Anup Bastola says, ‘The infection was not completely under control. We left the prevention measures in the months of January, February and March.’
After the dissolution of the parliament on December 20, 2020, the political parties in the pros and cons held assembly meetings and gathered thousands of people to deliver speeches. Most of the citizens also stopped following public health standards. According to Dr Bastola, the spread of the virus was slow, but active in society. The new variant also entered Nepal due to lack of surveillance at international border checkpoints.
Some of the covid hospitals have already witnessed pressure, said Dr Bastola, adding, “People who have died now were infected some days before or at least two weeks or earlier.”
Public health experts warn that the infection will increase if public health standards are not strictly followed. The Ministry of Health and Population has also recommended banning gatherings of more than 25 people. But neither the political parties have stopped holding rallies, nor the public health standards have been effectively enforced.
