Rajbiraj, May 26

A pregnant woman staying in home quarantine at Simara Chowk of Kanchanrup Municipality, Saptari, died today.

Saptari District Hospital said that the woman aged 24 had died at home at around 7:00am today. “The deceased woman’s throat swab sample was collected and sent to BP Koirala Institute of Health Science for COV- ID-19 test today,” said DHO Chief Duniyalal Yadav.

The pregnant woman had visited Binita Yadav at her clinic as she had fever and problems in passing urine on May 21. The woman got her urine tested and the test showed that she had urine infection. Since she had 102 degrees fever, Yadav had advised the woman to visit Gajendra Narayan Singh Hospital for rapid diagnostic test. “I had prescribed some medicines and advised the woman to rest at home,” said Dr Yadav.

Unfortunately, the woman returned home without undergoing RDT test. Yadav said the woman’s husband also admitted that his wife had not undergone rapid diagnostic test. The deceased’s husband said though her fever had subsided, she developed respiratory problems on Monday night all of sudden.

“We were preparing to take her to the hospital.

But she passed away before we could do so. Since she had not developed any symptoms of COVID-19, I thought rapid diagnostic test was not necessary,” said the woman’s husband.

Meanwhile, Yadav said she had to stay in home quarantine as it was yet not confirmed whether she was infected with coronavirus. “I will stay in home quarantine until the woman’s report for COVID-19 comes out,” said Dr Yadav.

DHO Duniyalal Yadav said that preparations were under way to test the deceased woman’s husband’s throat swab for COVID-19.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on May 27, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.