Nepal reports its first Covid-19 death

Nepal reported its first Covid-19 death on Saturday.

The Health Ministry, in a statement issued late Saturday, said a postpartum woman, who died on the way to Dhulikhel Hospital, was the first Covid-19 fatality in the country.

“A detailed investigation and a series of tests show that this is the first death due to Covid-19 in the country,” reads the statement issued by Dr Sameer Kumar Adhikari, deputy spokesperson for the Health Ministry.

The 29-year-old woman from Barhabise in Sindhupalchok had given birth through normal delivery on May 6 at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. She was discharged on May 7, as the health condition of both the baby and the mother was normal. The woman had subsequently returned to her village in Sindhupalchok.

According to the Health Ministry statement, the woman reported a fever and respiratory difficulties shortly after returning home and was treated at the local health centre. After her condition worsened, she was referred to the Dhulikhel Hospital on May 14. She died on the way to the hospital.

According to a doctor at Dhulikhel Hospital, she was pronounced dead upon arrival. But since she had presented a fever and respiratory problems, which are symptoms of Covid-19, the hospital conducted a polymerase chain reaction test on her nasal and throat swabs, which came back positive.

The Health Ministry had later conducted the test again at the National Public Health Laboratory, whose results were positive once again.

As of Saturday night, 281 people had tested positive for Covid-19 in the country, including the one death.

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Arjun Poudel

Arjun Poudel is a health reporter for The Kathmandu Post. Before joining the Post, he worked for Sagarmatha Television, Naya Patrika, Republica and The Himalayan Times.