NEPALGUNJ, MAY 28

Six COVID patients, who were in critical condition and undergoing treatment at Bheri Hospital of Nepalgunj, have died today. One more patient has died at Kohalpur Teaching Hospital.

The deceased are a 36-yearold man of Thakurbaba, Bardiya; 52-year-old man of Tulsipur, Dang; 57-year-old man of Gulariya, Bardiya; 69-year-old man of Kohalpur, Banke; 47-year-old man of Lamahi, Dang; 34-year-old man woman of Kumakh, Salyan; and 50-year-old man of Janaki, Banke.

The deaths at Bheri Hospital came at a time when health workers at the hospital have launched agitation protesting an attack on them last night.

Agitating health workers held protest for almost the entire day today and warned that they wouldn't return to work until the attackers were held.

Last night, after a patient, Dilli Bahadur Rawat, died at the hospital, a group led by the deceased's kin had attacked the health workers.

According to Chief District Officer Shivaram Gelal, a probe committee has been formed to investigate the attack on health workers. 'A meeting of stakeholders held at my office has formed a panel under Assistant Chief District Officer Shankar Bahadur Bista to launch an inquiry into the attack,' Gelal informed, adding that the panel would submit its report in three days.

Meanwhile, police have said an attempted murder case has been filed against three persons, including Man Bahadur Rawat and Bharat Rawal, involved in the attack.

With the recent deaths, the total number of COVID-related deaths has reached 558 in the district. Of them, 288 are the residents of Banke itself. A version of this article appears in the print on May 29, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.