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Pokhara, July 20: A Covid-19 patient from Kaski district died on Sunday evening while undergoing treatment at Charak Memorial Hospital in Pokhara, marking the third confirmed coronavirus-related death in Nepal within a month.

Hospital officials said the patient had been battling multiple underlying health conditions, including pneumonia, acute kidney infection, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung disease, type-2 diabetes, hypertension, and hypothyroidism.

“She was admitted to the hospital 12 days ago and tested positive for Covid-19 about 10 days back,” said Deepali Thapa, medical record officer at the hospital, speaking to The Kathmandu Post over the phone.

The resurgence of the virus in recent weeks has raised public health concerns. On June 24, a 39-year-old woman from Suryodaya Municipality in Ilam district died at Biratnagar-based Nobel Medical College and Teaching Hospital, becoming the country’s first Covid fatality in two years. The Epidemiology and Disease Control Division has confirmed yet another Covid-related death in the days that followed.

Nepal has reported 360 new Covid infections since January, with active cases now spread across 42 districts. Health authorities are on alert as the Ministry of Health and Population confirms the circulation of multiple subvariants of the Omicron strain.

Genome sequencing conducted on 14 recent samples revealed that all were infected with Omicron subvariants. According to the National Public Health Laboratory, subvariant XFG was found in seven samples, XFG.3 in five, and JN.1 in two. These same strains—XFG and XFG.3—are currently dominant in neighbouring India.

However, NB.1.8.1, another subvariant that had triggered concern elsewhere, was not detected in any of the samples tested.

Whole-genome sequencing, a method used to map an organism’s complete genetic makeup, is seen as critical in tracking mutations, severity, and transmission dynamics of the virus.

With infections climbing and more severe cases emerging, experts stress the need for enhanced surveillance, timely testing, and readiness to reintroduce public health measures if necessary.

-People’s News Monitoring Service