Nepal reports fourth death from coronavirus

NEPAL’S COVID-19 CASES CLIMB TO 682

KATHMANDU, May 25: The death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic has reached four in Nepal after a 70-year-old patient, who died on May 17, tested positive on Monday.

According to the Spokesperson at the Health and Population Ministry Bikas Devkota, the patient from Kalaiya-7 of Bara had died at the National Medical College Parsa.

“He has tested positive for the virus,” Devkota added.

A patient of tuberculosis and long-term respiratory disease, he was admitted to the ICU ward of the hospital on May 15 after he suffered from breathing complications.

His nasal and throat swab samples were collected on May 16 and sent to a lab at Narayani Hospital, where he tested positive. His swab samples were then sent to National Public Health Laboratory in Kathmandu for verification and he tested positive again.

“The swab samples of those individuals in contact with the deceases patient have been collected and sent Teku,” added Devkota.

The ministry also confirmed seven more positive cases, including the 70-year-old victim, today taking Nepal’s total cases to 682. Of them, 602 are males and 80 are females.

According to Devkota, a 32-year-old male from Mellekh rural municipality of Achham district, three males aged 18, 22 and 24 from Gulariya of Bardiya district; an 18-year-old male from Jira Bhawani rural municipality of Parsa district and a 28-year-old male from Kathmandu currently working in Kalaiya of Bara have tested positive for the virus.

Earlier today, the ministry had confirmed 72 positive cases.

With the new cases, the Province 1 has 86 infections in seven districts, Province 2 has 235 cases in all eight districts, Bagmati has 38 cases in 11 districts, Gandaki has five cases in three districts, Province 5 has 292 cases in seven districts, Karnali has 11 cases in two districts and Sudurpaschim has reported 15 cases in five districts.

A total of 111 patients have recovered and have been discharged, according to Devkota.