Kathmandu: Nepal has confirmed its first Covid-19 death in more than two years, raising fresh concerns as cases of the virus, particularly the Omicron subvariants, begin to spread once again.
The victim, a 39-year-old woman, died on Tuesday morning at Nobel Medical College and Teaching Hospital in Biratnagar. She was admitted to the hospital’s emergency department at 4:20 a.m. and passed away shortly after, at around 6:00 a.m.
Dipesh Rai, the hospital manager, told The Kathmandu Post that the woman had tested positive for a subvariant of the Omicron strain of Covid-19.
Nepal’s Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) confirmed they were aware of the case and are coordinating with local and provincial health authorities to monitor the situation. “Yes, I am aware of the case. We have directed officials concerned to coordinate with provincial health authorities and take stock of the situation,” said Dr. Chandra Bhal Jha, director of the EDCD.
This is the first reported Covid-related fatality in Nepal since early 2022, marking a troubling sign of renewed transmission in the country. Over the past week, more than 25 new Covid-19 cases have been reported, and eight people tested positive in the last 24 hours alone. Since January, a total of 180 confirmed cases have been recorded across 25 districts.
According to the Health Ministry, recent genome sequencing of 14 Covid-19 positive samples showed that all were infected with different subvariants of the Omicron variant.
Bagmati Province has reported the highest number of recent cases, with 129, followed by Sudurpaschim (17), Madhes (5), and three cases each in Koshi, Gandaki, and Lumbini provinces.
In anticipation of a potential surge, the EDCD has trained over 150 health workers in field epidemiology. “We’ve completed training for the 10th batch of health workers, with more than 15 individuals in each group,” Dr. Jha said. “These trained personnel will be mobilized for Covid-19 surveillance and response if the situation escalates.”
Health authorities continue to urge the public to stay cautious, practice hygiene, and follow public health guidelines, especially as more cases are being detected across various parts of the country.
