Kathmandu,1 March 2015: A woman has died of infection of Swine Influenza-H1N1 virus while undergoing treatment at the Model Hospital in the capital city on Sunday.
The Hospital has not disclosed the name of the woman. The woman suffering from asthma and pneumonia had been admitted to the hospital a week ago. The patient’s blood sample sent to Central Health Laboratory for further treatment tested positive for H1N1 virus.
The Hospital’s Director Prof Dr Bharat Pradhan told the National News Agency (RSS) that the Swine Flu was detected when her sample was sent for further test at the Laboratory.
This is the first death caused by Swine Flu in Nepal this year. The subordinate bodies under the Ministry of Health and Population have not officially disclosed the number of people testing positive for Swine Flu.
The Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD), the Ministry’s authoritative body to disclose information on Swine Flu, has not yet officially confirmed the death from Swine Flu.
EDCD Chief Dr Baburam Marasini’s mobile phone remained switched off all day when RSS tried to contact him. The Laboratory’s Director Dr Gita Shakya did not want to talk of the incident when contacted.
“The woman of around 50 years was being treated, after her health did not improve further. Test was carried out which showed she was suffering from the Swine Flu, this is the reason she died,” Model Hospital’s Director Pradhan said.
The number of people testing positive for the virus has soared with the dip in temperature and rainy weather conditions. According to a highly placed source at the Health Ministry 15 people have so far tested positive for the virus.
Health Service Department Director General Dr Senendra Raj Upreti said the government would provide Tamiflu doses, Swine Flu’s medication, free of cost to the patients of Swine Flu.
Meanwhile, the Department has installed Health Desks at the border transit points with India and the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). It has instructed the hospitals under its aegis to prepare for setting up ‘isolation wards’ to deal with the virus.
People with asthma, respiratory problems, diabetes, heart disease, kidney ailment, liver problem and nerve-related disease are more prone to catching the virus, the Department said. The virus quickly gains footing in persons with HIV/AIDS, old-age people and pregnant women who are low in immune. The symptoms of the virus are common cold, cough, running nose, sneeze, high fever, headache, sore throat, chest pain and nausea.
The virus is transmitted from an infected person through handshake, sneeze, cough, spit, breath, kissing and hugging. The people have been advised to wear masks and keep distance from the infected person.
Source:RSS
