By Bhesh Raj Basent, Ranjha, April 29: A total of 73 health workers and officials of Bheri Hospital, Nepalgunj, who were working round-the-clock to provide treatment to the COVID-19 patients, have tested positive for the virus.

Dr. Prakash Thapa, medical superintendent of the hospital informed that along with the beginning of the second wave of the pandemic, a huge number of hospital officials and frontline health workers number had contracted the virus.

"The coronavirus infection has been detected in 73 health workers and hospital officials from April 14 till now," said Dr. Thapa. "A total of 33 nursing staffs, eight doctors and paramedics each, 22 health assistants and two officials of the administration department have been infected with the virus."

However, being infected with the virus has not stopped the nursing staff of Bheri Hospital from providing services to the virus-infected patients. Keeping their own lives at risk, they are still on duty.

"As there is a scarcity of human resources in the hospital, 10 staff nurses are on duty despite testing positive for COVID-19," said Dr. Thapa.

Currently, 212 infected patients are under treatment in the hospital. As the hospital is being overflowed with patients for the past two weeks, the number of isolation beds has been increased. Previously, 142 beds of the hospital were separated for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Pramod Dhital, Chairman of the Hospital Development Committee said, "Due to the lack of enough human resources, five staff nurses are compelled to attend up to 100 patients."

According to Dhital, the hospital had received authority from the central government to deploy additional staff on a contractual basis for the COVID-19 response. Following this, the hospital has called vacancy for 60 health workers including three anesthesiologists, 10 medical officers, two nursing officers, five lab technicians, and 40 staff nurses.