KATHMANDU: A 70-year-old male from Maisthan in Birgunj of Parsa district has succumbed to COVID-19 during the course of treatment, on Tuesday evening.

He had been admitted to the Special Corona Temporary Hospital, under Narayani Hospital, in Birgunj.

On Monday, he was admitted to Advance Hospital following complications in his breathing. However, he was referred to the Gandak-based temporary hospital the same evening on suspicion of having contracted the disease. His RT-PCR test result came positive for the virus post demise.

With this, the national COVID-19 death toll has advanced to 43.

17 new cases identified in Birgunj

Meanwhile, 17 new coronavirus cases were identified in Birgunj on Wednesday night, including doctors, health workers, and patients undergoing treatment in private hospitals, informed Parsa's Assistant Chief District Officer Lalit Kumar Basnet.

Among them, two are doctors and two are patients receiving treatment.

The infected persons are aged between 15 and 85 years, among whom 13 are males and four are females.

Their swab samples were collected for PCR testing on July 21.