Bhairahawa, March 29

A 34-year-old youth undergoing treatment at a temporary corona isolation hospital in Butwal breathed his last today.

Corona Hospital focal person Sudarshan Thapa identified the deceased as Baburam Thapa of Palpa. Thapa had landed at Tribhuvan International Airport on March 6.

He had been living with his family in a rented apartment at Murgiya of Sainamaina Municipality, Rupandehi, since arriving from the UAE.

Thapa had fever while he was on the way home from UAE. He took medicine from a local pharmacy in Murgiya bazaar. Since the medicine didn’t have any effect, he was admitted to the Provincial Hospital, Butwal, for treatment on March 26.

The provincial hospital referred him to the corona hospital.

Thapa is survived by his parents, wife and two kids. His wife, kids and landlord have been kept in isolation. Sudarshan Thapa said the deceased’s throat swab had been sent to Kathmandu and report was yet to come. “Without medical report, we cannot say what caused his death,” Thapa added.

Thapa’s throat swab, along with that of other suspected patients of COVID-19, were sent to Kathmandu in an ambulance today.

Till now 65 samples from Province 5 have been tested. Of them, 23 had tested negative, while the report of 13 is yet to come. A total of 29 suspected patients of COVID-19 are undergoing treatment at the isolation hospital in Butwal, said Information Officer Narayan Aryal at Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law, Province 5.

West Nawalparasi, Rupandehi, Kapilvastu, Dang, Banke and Bardiya share open border with India. Thousands of people go to India for work or studies from this province.

Around 400 people, who had entered Nepal via Rupaidiya border point had fled the quarantine in Nepalgunj which authorities feared would pose high risk in the vicinity.

Madhes Human Rights House Chair Rabindranath Thakur said negligence on the part of people coming from India and their tendency not to stay in isolation was a matter of concern.