Pyuthan, September 29:

A number of diseases including pneumonia have gripped Pyuthan district. Of the patients admitted to Pyuthan district hospital, 80 per cent are children suffering from pneumonia, a hospital source said.

Two children admitted to the hospital have died of the disease recently. The children were brought in a deteriorated condition, Dhurba Pokhrel, a staffer at the emergency section of the hospital, said.

“As the hospital lacks basic equipments, we are forced to refer patients to other hospitals,” he added.

Sixty-eight children suffering from pneumonia were treated this week alone, the hospital source said, adding, most of the children suffering from the disease were below one year of age.

Of the patients admitted in the OPD section, 25 are found to be pneumonia patients every day, Dr Padam Dhungana said, adding, “We are forced to treat the patients in floor due to the increasing number of patients.”

The disease has spread due to climate change and consumption of stale foods, Dr Dhungana said.