By Indira Aryal

Kathmandu, Oct. 16: At least 80 per cent deaths from COVID-19 in Nepal are related to lungs infection.
A preliminary assessment by doctors at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) said that among those who have died of COVID-19 in Nepal had respiratory problems that led to pneumonia at the final stage. So far, 675 people have died from COVID-19, according to the data made available by the Ministry of Health and Population.
The Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at TUTH also identified lungs infection as the cause of deaths of the patients in the critical care units. Chest specialist at TUTH Dr. Neeraj Bam said that preliminary research findings on COVID-19 deaths in the hospital are related to pulmonary problems. They are conducting research to understand whether chronic respiratory diseases like asthma increase the mortality of COVID-19 patients.
TUTH started research on COVID-19 deaths within the hospital to find out the actual cause of the deaths among the infected, he informed.
As the cases of COVID-19 infection are on the rise in Nepal, the death rate is likely to go up in the days to come, said Dr. Bam. “We need to prepare for the worst situation, as the infected cases are rising; government-imposed lockdown to control the spread of virus will not be much fruitful now.”
As the winter is approaching and the movement of people is increasing because of Dashain and Tihar festivals, there is a high risk of another wave of infection, he added.
“We are close to the festival season, Dashain is coming soon, the increasing crowds might unleash another wave of infection. We are yet to know where this virus will lead the country,” Dr. Bam said.
“We are at the end of summer season and winter is beginning soon and most of the viral infections occur in winter. Most of the people commonly have seasonal flu and are confused about seasonal the flu and COVID-19, which might create another chaos among them. So, people have to take more precautions than ever before to remain healthy and avoid confusion,” Dr. Bam said.
Pollution, which increases during the winter, adversely affects the lungs, as does the COVID-19, which causes fever, taste change, dry cough and body pain, among others. The COVID-19 has not changed its nature since the beginning and symptoms also remain the same,” he said.
Dr. Anil Bikram Karki, consultant and principal throat surgeon at B.P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital (BPKHCH), said that most of the patients coming to the hospital complained of throat and nose problem but they were infected with COVID. As throat pain and dry cough are the most common symptoms of COVID-19, patients come to seek treatment at ENT department, he added.
“Most of the ENT doctors are getting infected with CODIV-19 as patients who come with throat problems release their droplets of infection while being examined,” he said. Sometimes people without symptoms also are COVID-19 positive and there is a high risk of infection among doctors while examining the patients.
Dr. Bam said that a healthy person becomes infected when he inhales the droplets released by the infected person, which is why proper use of masks and personal hygiene are critically important to fight-off the virus.