Nepal confirms first case of new coronavirus
The first case of coronavirus contraction in the country has now been confirmed.
Health Ministry officials have confirmed that throat swab and blood samples of the infected that had been sent to a World Health Organisation lab in Hong Kong for further tests, have tested positive. The patient doesn’t have any symptoms now, according to the Ministry of Health and Population.
The 32-year-old Nepali student had recently returned from the Chinese city of Wuhan which it is believed is where the disease first originated in.
Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital admitted him on January 13 on receiving complaints of respiratory problems and inflammation in the throat. He had also complained of mild fever around 10 days ago.
“Since he had returned from Wuhan and had shown symptoms of severe acute respiratory illness, he was initially kept in an isolation ward in the hospital for further tests, as Wuhan had recently witnessed outbreak of pneumonia,” said Dr Anup Bastola, consultant, tropical medicine at STIDH.
As the disease was spreading in Asian countries, Nepali doctors had warned the outbreak could affect Nepalis as well. Around that time, the 32-year-old visited STIDH with symptoms akin to pneumonia that had spread in China.
The outbreak of pneumonia in China is believed to have been caused by a new strain of corona virus.
News Source: The Himalayan Times (Published: January 24, 2020 7:35 pm On: Kathmandu)
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