Health ministry says any cold, cough and fever case could be a Covid infection unless it is proven otherwise.

A male patient in mid-40s who was admitted to Bir Hospital for hernia surgery tested positive for Covid on Monday.

Another woman admitted to the Obstetrics and Gynecology department at the Patan Hospital also tested positive for the coronavirus.

Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital said that a 52-year-old woman from Rolpa who had also tested positive for Covid has been admitted to the intensive care unit of the Hospital, as her oxygen level was low and health condition deteriorating.

With the spike in new Covid cases of late, patients with serious health conditions have started seeking hospital treatment.

What’s concerning the doctors is that patients admitted to the hospital for treatment of other ailments are testing positive for Covid.

“The coronavirus might have already spread in communities as patients suffering from other ailments are testing Covid positive,” said Dr Ravi Shakya, director at the Patan Hospital. “Even if serious cases of infection are yet to arrive at the hospital, the number of people testing positive for the coronavirus has been rising.”

Doctors at major hospitals in the Kathmandu Valley whom the Post spoke to said that health workers including doctors and nurses are of late getting infected with the coronavirus.

Patan Hospital said that at least six of its health workers tested positive for Covid and they are now in home isolation.

Officials at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital said that some of the health workers serving at the hospital have also been infected with Covid.

The Bir Hospital administration has allocated 100 beds for the treatment of Covid patients.

“We will allocate more beds for Covid patients if the number of serious cases rise,” said Dr Santosh Paudel, the hospital director. “The number could rise in the coming days, as more people are testing positive every day.”

Nepal, on Monday, reported 76 new cases of coronavirus infection. Of the 345 polymerase chain reaction tests carried out throughout the country, 49 tested positive and 27 others also tested positive in 806 antigen tests.

The positivity rate of polymerase chain reaction tests is around 14 percent, meaning that the virus is spreading exponentially in communities.

Active cases reached 227 on Monday.

Doctors say even people infected with the coronavirus are moving around freely, increasing the contagion risk.

“Despite the rise in new cases, people are not wearing face masks and taking other preventive measures,” said Dr Niraj Bam, an associate professor at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. “The new virus variant could make life difficult for the elderly and those with weak immunity.”

Doctors say the ongoing rise in Covid cases is a clear sign that a new virus variant has penetrated communities. As authorities concerned have not started active case findings, the reported positive cases could just be the tip of the iceberg.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health and Population has said that any cold, cough and fever cases could be Covid infection unless proven otherwise.

“Don’t make a pretext of getting soaked in rain the day before yesterday, having a cold drink yesterday or getting exposed to the dust today,” states the ministry’s daily Covid update. “Take a test immediately after getting symptoms and stay in isolation. Every cold, cough and fever cases could be Covid unless proven otherwise. Stay alert, stay safe.”