Nepal reports first death of new Covid variant

KATHMANDU: Nepal has reported its first death due to the Omicron sub-variants of Covid-19, as the virus continues to spread in the country, posing a renewed health risk, local media reported on Wednesday.

This is the first Covid death in the South Asian nation in over two years.

The officials at Biratnagar-based Nobel Medical College and Teaching Hospital on Tuesday confirmed that a 39-year-old woman admitted to the hospital's emergency department had died from the infection.

"The woman was brought to our hospital at 4:20 in the morning. The patient died at 6 am," Nepal's leading daily, The Kathmandu Post, quoted Dipesh Rai, manager of the hospital, as saying.

Nepal's Epidemiology and Disease Control Division officials noted they are informed about the newly reported death.

"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 division.

According to the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, eight people tested positive in the last 24 hours and over 25 people tested positive for the infection in the last week, bringing the total to 180 people across 25 districts since January.

On Monday, Nepal's health ministry confirmed the outbreak of multiple subvariants of the Covid Omicron variant.

Reports suggest that whole-genome sequencing of the 14 swab samples of Covid-infected persons recently revealed that all were infected with Omicron subvariants.

Last week, health authorities reported a rise in Covid-19 cases across Nepal with Bagmati Province recording the highest number of cases at 129, followed by Sudurpaschim 17, Madhes 5, and Koshi, Gandaki, and Lumbini with three each.

Earlier this month, the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division announced that it has provided field epidemiology training to over 150 health workers amid the growing concerns about the spread of the virus.

"We have completed field epidemiology training for the 10th batch of health workers. Each batch consists of over 15 health workers. We will mobilise these trained health workers for coronavirus surveillance if an outbreak occurs in the country," said Dr Chandra Bhal Jha, director of the division.