Madhyapur Thimi, Aug 28

A woman has died of coronavirus infection in Bhaktapur. The 62-year-old woman, who was taken to the Citizen Community Hospital based in Madhyapurthimi municipality-3, Gaththaghar for treatment, breathed her last, confirmed Chief District Officer Humkala Pandey.

The women with high blood pressure was also said to have contracted the virus, she said, adding the Nepal Army Bir Dal Battalion Suryabinayak would manage the dead body. Contact tracing of the deceased family followed by swab collection and PCR testing would be done today, she shared.

Hospital’s director Jeetendra Shrestha said the patient suffering from asthma and high blood pressure had already lost her life on the way to the hospital. The hospital’s emergency and OPD has been shut for Friday and Saturday following the death of the women due to coronavirus infection, Dr Shrestha said. Doctors and nurses contacting the woman would be quarantined and the hospital would be disinfected, he said, adding the hospital would resume its operation from coming Sunday only.

Earlier, two coronavirus related deaths were reported in Bhaktapur. Locals have demanded municipalities conduct at least one PCR test in each household with the community level transmission of the virus infection and subsequent rise in the number of death of the infected.

The Madhyapur and Suryabinayak municipalities said they have stepped up preparation to increase the number of PCR test and adopt other safety measures to suppress the spread of the virus.