Death toll from swine flu reaches six in Nepal

Death toll due to H1N1 influenza in Nepal reached six on Thursday after a 37-year-old woman, who was admitted to intensive care unit of Green City Hospital, Kathmandu, died of swine flu in the course of treatment.

The Central Diagnostic Laboratory and Research Centre confirmed the cause of Sabina Thapa's death and sent a report to Epidemiology and Disease Control Division of Department of Health Services (EDCD) by the hospital authorities.

The Himalayan Times quoted EDCD as saying that six people had died of H1N1 influenza this year - two from Kaski and one each from Syangja, Lalitpur, Nawalparasi and Kathmandu districts.

Earlier, a patient from Syangja district, who was infected with the H1N1 virus, died in the course of treatment at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital.

Expressing concerns over the rise in case of H1N1 influenza, Chief of Epidemiology Section of EDCD Dr Guna Nidhi Sharma said that there could be more cases of swine flu in the coming days.

He advised people to be vigilant and immediately visit health facilities if they felt that they might have contracted swine flu virus.