Of 16 deaths from COVID in last fortnight, 12 were unvaccinated

By Mahima Devkota, Kathmandu, Aug. 2: 12 out of the 16 people who succumbed to the novel coronavirus infection in the country from July 17 till the date are found to have not been vaccinated.

Seven persons who died of COVID-19 were not only unvaccinated but also had comorbidities.

The four who were vaccinated but still died of COVID-19 were suffering from comorbidities, according to the report of the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP).

The MoHP report showed that the majority of people who lost their lives to COVID-19 were suffering from comorbidities or were unvaccinated.

According to Dr. Sameer Kumar Adhikari, MoHP joint spokesperson, most people with co-morbidities and the state of being unvaccinated are dying due to COVID-19. This reinforces the importance of getting vaccinated.

Dr. Adhikari said, “Of the recorded 16 deaths, 12 people were vaccinated and only four had complete jabs, while 12 died of co-morbidities and four without any co-morbidities were not vaccinated.”

Saying that people are dying because of being unvaccinated at one hand and on the other hand, the anti-COVID-19 vaccine is wasted because of the reluctance of people for getting their jabs, he urged the people to get vaccinated and follow the health safety standards.

Dr. Prabhat Adhikari, a public health expert, said that people with long-term illness or chronic illness and unvaccinated people are at risk of not only contacting COVID-19 but also having severe symptoms, hospitalizations, and even mortality.

Therefore, a full dose vaccination is advised for all.

He said, “People with co-morbidities are susceptible because vaccine's effectiveness wanes more quickly in these groups with weak immunity system.

As per the research titled, comorbidities and COVID-19 published in, “the BMJ”, one in five people worldwide are estimated to be at higher risk of adverse COVID-19 outcomes based on the prevalence of chronic conditions. Compared with people with no underlying conditions, the risk of death is 1.5 and 3.8 times higher for those with one comorbidity and over 10 co-morbidities, respectively.

Co-morbidities such as carcinoma urinary bladder, acute kidney injury with chronic liver diseases, refractory hypoxemia, surgery for right acoustic neuroma, post tuberculosis, obstructive sleep apnea with schizophrenia, systematic hypertension, cardiopulmonary arrest, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and seizure disorder were reported in people that passed away because of coronavirus infection.

Except for one, all other 15 people were over 50 years, as per the report. Since July 24, death from COVID-19 has been reported every single day. After a long interval, COVID-19-induced death was recorded on July 17 in Nepal.

Dr. Sher Bahadur Pun, Chief of the Clinical Research Unit at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital in Teku, though death and hospitalizations are not recorded in an alarming number, denizens must be vigilant in adhering to health safety standards as well as getting vaccinated.

Elderlies and people with comorbidities must be extra cautious as research has shown that these groups are susceptible to coronavirus infection and mortality.

Since July 24, COVID-19 deaths have been recorded in Nepal every single day, two people died on July 24, one on July 25, two on July 26, one on July 27, two on July 28, two on July 29, two on July 30, one on July 31, and one on August 1.